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By 2026, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) will make history: for the first time, the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be conducted entirely on computers. No more paper scripts shuffled between exam halls. No more long delays caused by printing, transport, and distribution. Instead, Africa’s most respected exam body is boldly stepping into the digital future. And that’s a masterstroke.
This transition is not merely a technical upgrade; it is a statement. WAEC is telling the world that West Africa is ready to match global best practices in education. From the United States to Singapore, computer-based testing (CBT) has become the gold standard for secure, efficient, and credible assessment. WAEC’s move proves that African institutions can innovate, not just imitate.
The benefits are clear. Objective papers will be fully computer-based, with three tests written in a single day, fast, efficient, and airtight against malpractice. Theory papers will be projected in halls instead of being distributed as printed question papers, a simple but revolutionary move that will curb leakages. Answer booklets remain, but the exam’s security backbone becomes digital.
For practical exams, supervising teachers must be IT-compliant, ensuring that both educators and students are pushed into the digital age. Schools hosting these exams will supply materials, and in a welcome gesture of fairness, WAEC has stressed that no school is forced to buy new computers. Every candidate will sit their exams, no matter their school’s readiness.
This is inclusivity in action. Schools with 50 or more functional computers can volunteer as CBT centres, hosting candidates from other schools. And yes, WAEC will even pay them for the service. In Lagos State, the Council is particularly calling on schools in Lekki, Ajah, and Epe to step up and partner in this national transition. Those who do will not just serve their students, they’ll be remembered as pioneers.
Critics will, of course, raise eyebrows. What about power supply? Internet connectivity? Rural schools? WAEC’s response has been pragmatic: exams will hold for everyone, regardless of circumstance, and no student will be left behind. It’s not a reckless gamble but a calculated shift, with flexibility built into the system.
Here’s the bigger picture: this isn’t only about exams. It’s about preparing young Africans for the digital-first world they are walking into. By making students write their most important school-leaving exams on computers, WAEC is training them in confidence, competence, and digital literacy. The exam becomes more than a test; it becomes a bridge to the future.
The truth is, WAEC could have sat back and clung to paper, as so many institutions do. Instead, it chose to innovate. The 2026 WASSCE will not only test knowledge, it will prove that West Africa can reimagine its education systems and lead from the front. WAEC isn’t just keeping up with the times. It’s setting the pace. And for that, it deserves every ounce of support.
In the end, WAEC’s transition to a fully computer-based WASSCE is far more than an administrative reform; it is a bold stride into the future of education in West Africa. By prioritizing security, inclusivity, and digital competence, the Council has shown that it is not only safeguarding academic integrity but also preparing students for the realities of a technology-driven world. This reform transforms the WASSCE into more than an exam, it becomes a platform for building digital confidence and equipping a new generation for life beyond the classroom.
Yes, challenges will exist, power supply, connectivity, and rural access among them, but WAEC’s pragmatic provisions demonstrate that no student will be left behind. The 2026 WASSCE will therefore stand as a historic milestone: a moment when Africa’s most respected exam body refused to remain tied to the past and instead chose to lead boldly. WAEC is not just keeping pace with the times; it is setting the pace. And for that, it deserves full support from schools, teachers, parents, and the public at large.
• Dr. Opeoluwa, an educationist, sent this piece from Ibadan
