The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to eradicating examination malpractice in Nigeria's education sector, announcing plans to fully implement Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for WAEC and NECO by 2026. Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. His remarks follow increasing concerns about the credibility of public examinations, particularly after statistics from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) showed that over 1.5 million out of 1.95 million candidates scored below 200 out of 400. When asked about the poor UTME performance and its implications for senior secondary education, Alausa responded, “It’s a major concern and reflects that exams are now being conducted properly.” “JAMB conducts its exam using a computer-based testing system. They’ve implemented strong security measures, and as a result, fraud or cheating has been nearly eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for WAEC and NECO.” The minister revealed that the government had conducted a comprehensive review of the country’s examination systems shortly after he assumed office. “We carried out a diagnostic review of how exams are conducted nationwide. I set up a committee to investigate this, and I expect to receive their report in the coming days,” he said. He further announced that WAEC and NECO would begin migrating their examinations to CBT from November 2025, starting with objective papers, with full implementation—covering essay components—by May/June 2026. “We have to use technology to fight this fraud. There are so many ‘miracle centres’ and that is simply unacceptable. People cheat during WAEC and NECO exams and then face JAMB, where cheating is nearly impossible. That’s the disparity we’re seeing now. It’s sad,” Alausa said. He stressed that examination malpractice not only undermines merit but also discourages diligent students. “The worst part of cheating is that it disincentivises the hard-working ones. If I’m preparing for WAEC or NECO and I know some classmates already have access to the questions, do you think I’ll still study hard? “No, I’ll be tempted to join them. That’s how good students are corrupted, and that’s exactly what we must stop,” he added. When asked whether the poor performance of students was due more to weak enforcement or a genuine decline in learning, Alausa acknowledged both factors but emphasised the systemic issue of widespread malpractice. “We’re addressing the quality of teaching and using technology, including online classes, to support learning from primary to secondary levels. But the pervasive cheating in our high school exams—especially WAEC and NECO—is the core problem,” he said. “JAMB is now almost 100 percent fraud-free, but WAEC and NECO still have major lapses. Our youths are intelligent, capable, and energetic. It’s the environment that corrupts them, and we’re determined to fix that.” The minister confirmed that extensive consultations had already been held with the leadership of WAEC, NECO, the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS). “By November this year, WAEC and NECO will begin CBT exams. There’s no going back on that,” he declared