The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has stated that it intends to use the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode to conduct its examinations.

Mr Patrick Areghan, WAEC’s Head of National Office (HNO), hinted to something in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday.

Areghan indicated that using CBT to administer some of the council’s assessments was part of his vision for the organisation.

”We have already started something in terms of CBT examination. We have gone far with our planning and all of that, even in the sub-region, the registrar to the council is also doing something,” he said.

He said the CBT was not as easy for WAEC as people thought.

“This is because we ask ourselves, how do we conduct CBT for practicals and essay papers?

“We can only readily do that in the case of objective questions. But so many people will not see it from that angle. They argue that some others are doing it, why can’t WAEC do the same?

“Now, no one even talks about energy; how many schools are exposed to computer literacy? How many have computer facilities, and how many have electricity to run these things?

“Even where you have all these things on the ground, how do you handle the issue of theory and practical papers? So, these are the issues, but that is what I want the council to do in the very near future,” he said.

He further stated that the council should be able to conduct CBT examinations, even if it means starting with the objective questions.

He added that WAEC might  have a segregated market, adding that those who could not afford the CBT would go for the pencil and paper mode.