Tech solutions proposed to prevent delays and system failures in WAEC national examinations

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has assured candidates and education stakeholders that the technical and operational challenges experienced during the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will not happen again.

According to the council, significant improvements have been made to its systems, processes, and infrastructure ahead of the 2026 examination, which is already underway.

 “We have learnt from our glitches” — WAEC

Speaking during a press briefing at WAEC’s national office in Yaba, Lagos, the Head of the Nigeria National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, said the council had taken corrective actions to prevent a repeat of last year’s disruptions.

“We have learnt from our glitches. We have perfected everything, and I speak authoritatively that we will not have a repeat of that glitch,” Dangut said.“It will not happen again in terms of result release issues or any form of disruption. We have taken corrective measures and ensured that it does not repeat itself.

His comments come about a year after WAEC temporarily withdrew access to the 2025 WASSCE results following internal reviews that identified technical issues linked to a paper serialization system introduced to curb examination malpractice.

Dangut explained that WAEC has now upgraded its operational and result-processing systems, alongside stricter requirements for examination centers.

One key reform, he noted, is the demand for improved infrastructure, especially power supply.“Any center must have more than one power source—national grid, generator and solar. At least two must be functional. That is part of our safeguards,” he said.

He also noted that improvements have been made to the council’s computer-based testing (CBT) system, stressing that examinations are now more stable even in areas with limited internet access.“When you talk of network penetration, I am not going to say much because we are reserving certain aspects as our trademark. But the system does not need to be online 100 per cent of the time,” he explained.

“There are many ways we can solve that. Just be assured that a center may not have full network coverage and still successfully conduct examinations.According to Dangut, about 450 schools nationwide are now participating in the CBT mode, a sharp increase from fewer than 40 schools in the previous year.

“Last year, fewer than 40 schools participated in the CBT mode. As we speak today, we have about 450 schools nationwide that have adopted it,” he said.

“From about 40 to over 450 schools is a major leap. It shows increasing confidence in the system.”

He added that schools voluntarily join the CBT programme after meeting technical requirements and passing WAEC inspections.

Despite the growth in CBT adoption, WAEC clarified that it currently operates a dual system.“For this examination, some schools are using the traditional pen-and-paper method, while others are using the CBT mode,” Dangut said.He also disclosed that while objective questions are now handled digitally in CBT centers, essay papers are still written manually. However, pilot tests of fully digital examinations have already been conducted in selected centers“We have tested a full digital essay and objective in some centers, and it is workable. But widespread deployment depends on infrastructure readiness,” he added.

Dangut confirmed that 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools are participating in the 2026 WASSCE, which began on April 21 and is expected to end on June 19.He also noted that female candidates outnumber males this year.“Of this number, 1,001,072 candidates, representing 51.08 per cent, are female, while 958,564, representing 48.92 per cent, are male,” he said.A total of 37 subjects comprising 97 papers will be written, with about 29,000 teachers deployed as supervisors nationwide.WAEC also reaffirmed its commitment to timely result release and certificate issuance.“Results will be released 45 days after the last paper, while certificates will be printed and issued to schools within 90 days,” Dangut said He added that candidates would also be able to access digital copies of their certificates through the WAEC Digital Certificate platform.

Addressing concerns about withheld results, Dangut dismissed claims that candidates must pay to access malpractice-related information.

“There is no payment required. You don’t buy any scratch card. Once you have data, you log in and check why a case is being withheld,” he said.

“You are allowed to defend yourself online. It is transparent and fair.”

WAEC also emphasized its collaboration with security agencies to ensure safe examination conduct across the country.“We are not a security outfit, but we collaborate with the military, police and vigilantes to ensure the safety of candidates, staff and materials,” Dangut said.He added that candidates in insecure areas are sometimes relocated to safer centers to ensure exams proceed smoothly.“There are instances where we request relocation of candidates from insecure areas. Safety remains paramount,” he noted.Dangut further urged policymakers and political stakeholders to consider examination schedules when planning national events.“Let us consult the WAEC timetable when planning elections or national activities. The examination timetable is fixed long in advance,” he said.

With these assurances, WAEC maintains that the 2026 WASSCE is on track for smoother execution, improved reliability, and greater confidence from students and stakeholders across West Africa.