By Idris Ahmed Usman
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has once again demonstrated that it is not only a custodian of academic standards but also a forward-looking institution committed to modernizing education in West Africa. Its recent announcement that the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be fully computer-based is a bold and visionary step that deserves commendation.
For decades, WAEC has set the benchmark for credibility, transparency, and rigour in examinations. Now, by embracing computer-based testing (CBT), the body is signaling its readiness to align with global best practices in assessment, while also preparing African students for the digital realities of the 21st century. In a world where education and work are increasingly technology-driven, WAEC’s transition is not just timely, it is necessary.
The plan to conduct all objective examinations fully online, with three papers written in a single day, promises efficiency and reduced risks of malpractice. Essay and theory papers, to be projected in examination halls without the distribution of physical question papers, will significantly cut down on leakages and logistical bottlenecks. Candidates will simply receive answer booklets, while questions are securely displayed. This model, already in practice in advanced economies, places WAEC among global leaders in secure assessment delivery.
The emphasis on IT-compliant supervising teachers for practical exams reflects WAEC’s determination to build digital competence among educators as well. Schools hosting these examinations will be responsible for providing the necessary materials, ensuring shared responsibility and accountability. This approach strengthens the ecosystem of collaboration between WAEC, schools, and teachers, while promoting IT proficiency across the board.
Critically, WAEC has emphasized that no school is mandated to buy computers in order for its candidates to sit for the exams. This underscores a deep sense of inclusivity, every student, regardless of their school’s resources, will have the opportunity to participate. Designated centres will host candidates, and schools that volunteer as centres will even receive compensation from WAEC. By setting a clear requirement of at least 50 functional computers for host centres, WAEC ensures reliability and scalability without placing undue financial burdens on schools.
WAEC has also made a strategic appeal to schools, particularly in the Lekki, Ajah, and Epe axis of Lagos State, to partner with it in hosting the exams. This call reflects both the demand for more centres in rapidly growing urban areas and the spirit of collaboration that will be crucial for the success of this transition. Schools that seize this opportunity will not only support national progress but also position themselves as leaders in educational innovation.
Perhaps the most profound implication of this shift is its impact on the students themselves. By writing their examinations on computers, students are not only being tested, they are being prepared. They are gaining familiarity with the very tools that will define their academic journeys, their workplaces, and their futures. WAEC is, in essence, turning the WASSCE into a gateway to digital literacy, bridging the gap between traditional education and the modern world.
Critics may raise concerns about infrastructure and readiness, but WAEC has shown a pragmatic approach, making provisions to ensure that examinations will hold for all candidates, regardless of a school’s immediate preparedness. This is not a reckless leap but a carefully calibrated stride into the future.
In embracing computer-based testing, WAEC has taken a stand: Africa’s educational systems must not remain stuck in the past. Instead, they must be bold enough to innovate, adapt, and lead. The 2026 WASSCE will mark not just an examination milestone but a historic turning point in the evolution of education in West Africa. WAEC is not simply moving with the times, it is moving ahead of them.
WAEC’s decision to fully digitize the WASSCE is more than an administrative reform; it is a redefinition of how examinations can shape the future of education in Africa. By prioritizing security, efficiency, inclusivity, and technological competence, the Council is building an ecosystem that benefits not just students, but schools, teachers, and society at large. This forward-looking model ensures that the examination process mirrors the digital realities students will encounter beyond the classroom, making the WASSCE a tool of preparation as much as evaluation.
In many ways, the 2026 WASSCE will stand as a landmark, not only for WAEC but for the entire region. It signals to the world that West Africa is ready to embrace innovation and to invest in the skills its youth will need to thrive in a competitive, technology-driven global economy. The path WAEC has chosen is ambitious, but it is also necessary, and with collaboration and commitment from all stakeholders, it promises to set a new standard for educational excellence in Africa.
• Usman lives in Abuja.
