As the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the academic standards and certification processes across West Africa, the Head of the National Office (HNO), WAEC, Nigeria, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut, speaks with Clifford Ejenavi of Nigerian Impact on the challenges and triumphs of administering large-scale examinations in the digital age, the importance of transparency and credibility and the Council’s efforts to strengthen stakeholder confidence.
He outlines his vision to position WAEC as a model of excellence in educational assessment through the adoption of technology, improved service delivery, and enhanced collaboration with schools, governments and the media. Excerpts!
Sir, how does it feel to take on this enormous responsibility of the Head of National Office of WAEC?
Thank you very much. It is both an honour and a huge responsibility to lead WAEC Nigeria at this time. The Council has played a vital role in education across West Africa for over 70 years, and my focus is to uphold its integrity, credibility, and relevance in today’s dynamic world.
WAEC has faced challenges over the years, particularly with examination malpractice. What concrete steps are you taking to curb this menace?
Examination malpractice is a societal problem, but WAEC remains committed to tackling it. We are strengthening our security architecture, deploying technology such as biometric verification, electronic marking and improved monitoring systems. We are also engaging schools, parents and students in awareness campaigns to emphasize that integrity and hard work are the true paths to success.
Perpetrators, whether candidates, invigilators, or school officials are sanctioned appropriately. Our goal is not only to punish offenders but also to prevent malpractice from happening.
What are the major challenges currently facing WAEC in Nigeria aside from examination malpractice?
Beyond exam malpractice, WAEC faces several critical challenges such as inadequate funding, logistics and infrastructural constraints, delayed payments by some state governments for sponsored candidates, data management issues, human resource capacity gaps, and cybersecurity threats. These factors collectively affect the efficiency and credibility of the Council’s operations.
How does funding affect WAEC’s operations?
WAEC relies heavily on funds from examination fees and government subventions. However, irregular or delayed financial support especially from states sponsoring large numbers of candidates often hampers timely printing of materials, recruitment of examiners and prompt release of results. This financial strain can also affect staff welfare and investments in technology.
How does WAEC handle the challenge of certificate verification and fraud prevention?
Fake WAEC certificates are a persistent issue. To tackle this, WAEC introduced the WAEC Digital Certificate Platform, which allows instant online verification. However, adoption among institutions and employers is still low and awareness needs to improve for the system to achieve full impact.
Many candidates complain about delayed release of results. How are you addressing this concern?
We acknowledge those concerns. Result processing involves extensive marking, data collation, and quality assurance to ensure accuracy. However, with the integration of ICT, we have drastically reduced turnaround time. Our target is to make results available within 45 days after the last paper, and in many cases, we beat that timeline.
There are perceptions that WAEC certificates are losing value in the global arena compared to other international examinations. What is your response?
WAEC certificates remain globally recognized and accepted in major universities across Africa, Europe, America and other contents of the world. What we must continue to do is ensure that our standards are not compromised. We are also aligning with global best practices through continuous review of our syllabuses, examiner training and adoption of modern assessment techniques.
Some Nigerians argue that WAEC should reform its mode of assessment to reflect 21st-century skills. Any plans in this regard?
Absolutely. Education is evolving and WAEC must evolve with it. We are reviewing our curricula to emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving, digital literacy and creativity. Beyond testing memory, we want to assess application of knowledge. We are also exploring Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for some of our examinations in phases.
How does WAEC Nigeria intend to support the Federal Government’s vision for education and human capital development?
WAEC is a partner in progress. Our role is to provide reliable assessment that will help policymakers gauge the effectiveness of the education system. By ensuring credible examinations, we are indirectly strengthening teaching, learning and national planning. We are also working closely with Ministries of Education at state and federal levels to ensure alignment with national goals.
What is your vision for WAEC Nigeria under your leadership?
My vision is to consolidate WAEC’s integrity, embrace technology fully and make our services more candidate-friendly. I want to see WAEC Nigeria become a model of transparency, efficiency and innovation in educational assessment across Africa.
In other words, we want to enhance digital integration in our operations, ensure fairness and transparency in examinations, and expand our services to better meet the needs of candidates, schools and governments.
Some people believe technology is the way forward. How much progress has WAEC made in digital transformation?
Significant progress has been made. Online registration, digital certificates and e-verification services are now active. We are also piloting the use of computer-based testing (CBT) for certain categories of examinations, particularly the WASSCE for Private Candidates. This is part of our broader plan to align with global best practices.
Some people argue that WAEC’s relevance is being challenged by other examination bodies. What is your response?
WAEC remains very relevant. We are the only examining body jointly owned by five West African countries, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia. Our certificates are internationally recognized like I said, and we have maintained a high standard for decades. While other examination bodies may exist, WAEC’s credibility and history stand us out.
From your perspective, what is the state of secondary education in Nigeria today?
Nigeria has made progress, but challenges remain particularly in infrastructure, teacher training and curriculum delivery. As an examining body, we can only assess what is taught. However, we collaborate with Education Ministries to provide feedback that can improve teaching and learning.
In recent times, WAEC has announced plans to introduce Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for its examinations in Nigeria. What informed this decision?
The decision to migrate from paper-based testing to computer-based testing is in line with global trends and WAEC’s commitment to continuous improvement. We recognise the need to modernise our assessment processes, ensure faster result processing, enhance question security and align with the growing digital literacy among students. It is also part of our broader strategy to make WAEC’s operations more efficient and technologically driven.
Many Nigerians are curious, does this mean WAEC is completely abandoning paper-based exams?
Not immediately. The transition will be gradual. For now, we are adopting a hybrid approach combining both paper-based and computer-based testing in phases. Our pilot tests will begin with selected subjects and centres. Over time, as infrastructure improves and schools adapt, we will scale up to full CBT.
How is WAEC preparing schools and candidates for this transition?
We are engaging in nationwide sensitization campaigns, training sessions for school administrators and capacity-building for our examination officers. We are also developing practice CBT platforms where students can familiarise themselves with the interface before the actual exams. Our goal is to ensure that no student is disadvantaged because of this change.
How will CBT improve the credibility of WAEC examinations?
CBT will significantly reduce examination malpractices such as question paper leakage and impersonation. Questions will be encrypted and delivered electronically just before the exams begin, minimizing human interference. Marking will also be faster and more objective, especially for multiple-choice questions, ensuring transparency and consistency in grading.
What support are you expecting from government and stakeholders in education?
We need strong collaboration with federal and state governments to provide ICT infrastructure in schools. Private sector participation is also welcome, especially in the area of providing solar power solutions, computers, and internet access. Education stakeholders, including teachers’ unions and parents, should help prepare students mentally and technically for the new system.
Finally, what message do you have for students, teachers and parents in Nigeria?
To students, I say: focus on your studies, avoid shortcuts and trust in your abilities. To teachers: your role is invaluable; continue to uphold professionalism. To parents: guide and support your children, but discourage malpractice. Together, we can safeguard the integrity of education in Nigeria.
