The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has postponed the full rollout of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) format for its Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) from 2026 to 2027.
However, the May/June 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will serve as a major pilot phase, during which candidates may choose to take their exams either through the new CBT system or the traditional paper-and-pen method.
The update was announced by Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, Chairman of the Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC and the Federal Government’s Nominee, during the 63rd Annual Meeting of the NNC.
As the highest decision-making body for WAEC in Nigeria, the NNC acknowledged stakeholder concerns over the government’s directive for all examination bodies to fully adopt CBT by 2026.
Hajia Abdulkadir reassured candidates, stating: “No candidate sitting the 2026 WASSCE will be disenfranchised in any form.”
She also highlighted WAEC’s ongoing preparations for the transition, including training senior secondary students using tablets and digital pens to answer essay questions.
Addressing recent curriculum reviews for basic and secondary schools, the WAEC Chairman confirmed that candidates would continue to have flexibility in their subject choices.
“Science students are not barred from taking Economics as an elective,” she noted.
Additionally, she announced an extension for uploading Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) to ensure accurate submissions for all candidates, including those taking new subjects introduced under the Federal Government’s updated subject list for the 2026 WASSCE for School Candidates.
