Private school owners petition WAEC, Minister over forced’ conduct of papers in CBT format 

Some private school owners have accused the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, of ‘forcing’ them to conduct some papers in the recent Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in computer-based test, CBT, format when public schools were not mandated to do same.

Our correspondent gathered that the owners of the private schools have therefore petitioned the examination body as well as the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.

Their grouse is that the development not only affected the performances of their students, but also amounted to applying double standards – one for public schools and another for private ones.

A school owner in Lagos, said that the development was unfair to him and his colleagues. “How can there be two different rules for private and public schools. Imagine asking students to write the paper on Technical Drawing in CBT format for instance.

“It is obvious that would not be possible 100 percent. The instruction was even  given a  bit late. Moreover, public schools were not given the same mandate. Any rule they apply to private schools should also be applied to public ones,” he stated.

One of the petitions, written by a group which called itself “Concerned Schools, Parents, Educators, and Stakeholders”, called for a review and audit of the SSSCE results, and which was directed to the head of WAEC Office in Nigeria, reads in part 
“Dear Sir/Madam,
We write as concerned stakeholders in the Nigerian education sector to formally express our deep concern regarding the recently released West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, particularly those from the Computer-Based Test (CBT) examination format.

“Following the release of the results, many schools that participated in the computer-based examinations have observed unusually poor performances, especially in core subjects such as English Language and Mathematics.

These outcomes are inconsistent with the academic records, mock examination performances, and overall preparedness of many candidates who sat for the examinations.

“Of particular concern is the fact that several schools with long-established records of academic excellence and consistently high WAEC performance have reported widespread failures among students who were adequately groomed, thoroughly prepared, and considered academically capable of achieving significantly better results.

“The pattern of outcomes across numerous CBT centres has raised legitimate concerns regarding the integrity and accuracy of the examination processing system.

“While we acknowledge WAEC’s commitment to maintaining high examination standards, the unusual nature of these results has led many stakeholders to suspect that technical glitches, system errors, data-processing anomalies, or other unforeseen challenges associated with the computer-based examination process may have adversely affected candidates’ scores.

“In light of these concerns, we respectfully appeal to WAEC to: Conduct a comprehensive and independent audit of the computer-based examination process, particularly for English Language and Mathematics.

“Review the scoring, transmission, processing, and collation mechanisms used during the CBT examinations.
“Investigate any possible technical failures, software glitches, synchronization issues, or system malfunctions that may have affected candidate performance.

“Publish the findings of the audit to assure the public of the credibility and transparency of the examination process. Correct any anomalies or errors discovered and ensure that affected candidates receive fair and accurate results.

“We believe that a thorough review is necessary not only to uphold the confidence of candidates, parents, and schools in the WAEC examination system but also to protect the futures of thousands of students whose academic and career opportunities may be negatively impacted by any unresolved errors.

“We trust that WAEC will give this matter the urgent attention it deserves and take all necessary steps to ensure that justice, fairness, and transparency prevail. Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully, Concerned Schools, Parents, Educators, and Stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, WAEC has said it is committed to excellence, transparency and integrity in the conduct and release of the results of 2026 SSSCE.

In a press statement signed by its Head, Public Affairs Department, WAEC Nigeria, Mrs. Moyosola Adesina, the Council said it had observed with concern the growing wave of comments by content creators and social media commentators challenging the accuracy of the recently released results of WASSCE for School Candidates 2026.

WAEC stated that while it welcomes constructive scrutiny as part of its accountability to candidates, parents, schools and the general public, the results were produced through the same rigorous, transparent and quality-assured processes that have guided its operations for decades.

According to the Council, the 2026 WASSCE was conducted strictly in line with its established standard operational procedures and relevant educational policies in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education.
The examination body acknowledged that anxiety over examination outcomes is understandable, particularly among candidates seeking admission into higher institutions, but cautioned against relying on unverified claims circulating on social media.

To reassure stakeholders, WAEC highlighted several safeguards embedded in its assessment system. The Council explained that every candidate’s script passes through a multi-tiered process of marking, moderation and auditing, supervised by vetted subject experts and guided by standardized marking schemes to ensure fairness and objectivity.

It also noted that transparent review channels remain available for candidates or stakeholders with genuine complaints or queries.

Information on result verification and complaint resolution can be accessed through WAEC offices nationwide as well as its official online platforms.

“WAEC hereby reiterates its unwavering commitment to preserving the integrity of its assessment processes and safeguarding the interests of every candidate,” the statement said.