The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has introduced the first computer-based WASSCE for school candidates in Nigeria. WAEC announced the major shift during a press briefing at its national office in Yaba, Lagos, on Thursday. Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC Nigeria, said the council is fully prepared to conduct the 2025 exam using digital methods.
According to Dr. Dangut, the WASSCE for School Candidates will run from Thursday, April 24 to Friday, June 20, 2025, across all parts of the country. This marks a new beginning, as the organisation moves from paper-based tests to a digital format to improve exam delivery and reduce cheating. He explained that from this year, no two candidates will get the same questions, which helps protect the exam’s fairness and quality.
A total of 1,973,253 students from 23,554 schools have registered to take the exam. This is an increase of over 158,000 students compared to the previous year. Of the total number, 979,228 are male candidates, while 994,025 are female candidates. The increase in female participation shows a positive shift toward gender balance in education.
The examination will cover 74 subjects and include 196 papers. WAEC plans to use over 26,000 senior secondary school teachers across the country to supervise the exams. Dr. Dangut noted that even with security challenges in some regions, WAEC has partnered with the Nigerian Police and state governments to ensure the exam runs smoothly without disruptions.
WAEC also addressed the issue of exam malpractice. Dr. Dangut warned students, teachers, and schools to follow all exam rules. He said that each student has already been assigned specific exam papers, and any attempt to write a different subject will lead to serious consequences. He encouraged school officials and parents to discourage cheating and support WAEC’s efforts to protect exam integrity.
To help students prepare better, WAEC has launched several digital learning platforms. These include the E-Study Portal, which gives students access to past questions, marking guides, and study plans. The WAEC E-Learning Portal provides performance feedback and helps solve common learning problems. Another tool, WAEC Konnect, keeps students and stakeholders updated on important exam information.
In addition, it has released past question booklets and Chief Examiners’ Reports to help students understand how to answer questions and what examiners expect from them. Dr. Dangut encouraged students to use these tools to improve their performance.
WAEC also warned parents and candidates to avoid rogue websites that promise leaked exam papers. Dr. Dangut said these websites are a threat to students’ futures. He added that WAEC is working closely with the Nigerian Police to track down and punish those who run such websites.
Looking ahead, WAEC has promised to release the 2025 exam results 45 days after the last paper. The council also plans to issue certificates within 90 days. Students will be able to access digital copies of their certificates through the WAEC Digital Certificate platform.
Dr. Dangut thanked the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, security agencies, and the media for their continued support. He said WAEC is committed to running a credible and successful exam with the help of all its partners.
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