An educationist, Chief Icha Adole, has warned the Federal Government of Nigeria and the leadership of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) against rushing into the use of computers for Senior Secondary School Examinations, citing potential catastrophe.
Chief Adole who stated this on Wednesday said that, while he is not against the use of computers in conducting and writing these examinations, the proposed timeline for implementation in 2026 is too early.
According to him: “I’m not against the use of computers in the conduct and writing of Senior Secondary School Examinations. The world is going digital, and Nigeria should not be left out. What I oppose is the timing. I feel the time proposed for next year, 2026, is too early for us to switch from the analogue method to a computer-based system.”
He emphasized the need to ensure that schoolchildren are well-familiar with computers before deploying them in examinations, particularly given the disparity in access to computers between urban and rural schools. Chief Adole advised stakeholders in the education sector to work together to ground schoolchildren in the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) before introducing computer-based exams.
Regarding the mass failure in this year’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examinations Board (JAMB) results, Chief Adole noted that lack of computer knowledge was a contributory factor. As the Life Patron of the National Association of Private Proprietors of Schools (NAPPS), Benue South, he urged caution and thorough preparation to avoid similar outcomes in WAEC and NECO examinations.
