Education
EDUCATION stakeholders in Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger have expressed optimism that the planned adoption of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will significantly reduce examination malpractice and the activities of so-called “miracle centres”.
The stakeholders, however, cautioned that CBT alone might not completely eradicate examination malpractice, stressing the need to address poor learning environments, inadequate teaching personnel, poor student preparation, parental pressure and infrastructural deficiencies.
They spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday during a survey on the activities of examination “miracle centres” and the possible impact of CBT on examination malpractice.
A “miracle centre” is generally regarded as an examination centre where candidates are assisted through fraudulent means to obtain high grades in public examinations.
In Kogi, Mr Stephen Ojapa, Principal of Government Science Secondary School, Lokoja, said the location of some schools, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teaching personnel and pressure to produce good results could contribute to the emergence of miracle centres.
Ojapa said schools located far from urban centres were particularly vulnerable because of difficulties associated with effective monitoring.
He said some school proprietors and principals believed that impressive examination results would attract more students, while some parents pressured schools to ensure that their wards passed examinations at all costs.
“Students want to pass, and whatever means they use to achieve it is sometimes not considered.
“Some principals also believe that good results will drive school enrolment. Schools face pressure from parents who want their wards to pass at all costs,” he said.
Ojapa said some teachers could also become involved when money contributed by candidates for examination malpractice was shared among supervisors and teachers.
He, however, said his school regularly sensitised students on the dangers and consequences of examination malpractice through seminars and classroom discussions.
The principal expressed optimism that CBT would reduce malpractice but identified electricity supply, inadequate computers and shortage of personnel with computer skills as potential challenges.
“My school has a few computers, and some are not functioning. The manpower to operate the computers is another issue,” he said.
Ojapa suggested the use of solar power to support CBT centres, especially large schools that could serve as examination centres.
A parent, Mrs Ramat Ahmed, said the cost of registration, recommendations from relatives and friends and fear of failure could influence some parents to register their children at miracle centres.
She said some parents prioritised examination results over integrity because they feared that poor grades could limit their children’s future opportunities.
Ahmed said CBT could significantly reduce some forms of examination malpractice but would not completely eliminate the problem.
She urged parents to teach their children that honesty was more important than high grades, lead by example and encourage them to seek assistance when they encountered difficulties in their studies.
Mr Emmanuel Adebolawe, a student, said inadequate preparation, laziness and societal influence were among factors encouraging students to patronise miracle centres.
Adebolawe said he had once been encouraged to register at a miracle centre but declined, adding that the widespread activities of such centres had affected some students’ belief in their ability to pass examinations through hard work.
He said CBT, particularly the system used by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), could help reduce malpractice by testing candidates’ individual abilities.
He, however, identified inadequate time, system failures and examination anxiety as possible challenges, and urged students to be consistent, persistent and hardworking.
Similarly, Miss Aruwa Enyo-Ojo, who recently completed Senior Secondary II, said some students patronised miracle centres because they regarded them as an easy means of passing examinations without putting in the required effort.
Enyo-Ojo described CBT as a technologically advanced approach to examinations but expressed concern over power outages and inadequate computer facilities.
Mrs Fatima Ahmed, another education stakeholder, identified parental influence, poor preparation, inadequate teaching, overcrowded classrooms and poor study habits as factors sustaining examination malpractice.
She also cited the misuse of smartphones, messaging applications, hidden earpieces and social media as means through which candidates could share answers during examinations.
Ahmed said miracle centres had survived because of the demand for guaranteed examination success, with some students and parents willing to pay for high grades.
She warned that examination malpractice could produce graduates whose certificates did not reflect their actual knowledge and skills, reduce public confidence in examination results and discourage hardworking students.
She advocated that CBT should be complemented with biometric verification, CCTV surveillance, restrictions on external devices and internet access, improved teacher training and provision of adequate learning materials.
An official of an examination body, who requested anonymity, described miracle centres as schools primarily interested in helping candidates pass examinations through fraudulent means rather than merit.
He said schools found engaging in malpractice faced sanctions ranging from fines to blacklisting, which could prevent them from presenting candidates for external examinations for between three and five years.
The official said CBT would significantly reduce malpractice because candidates would access questions simultaneously, making it more difficult to leak questions or smuggle answer scripts out of examination halls.
He, however, identified poor electricity supply, inadequate computer literacy among some candidates and insufficient computer facilities as major obstacles to the full implementation of CBT.
A long-serving WAEC examiner and team leader, who also requested anonymity, said methods used in miracle centres included teachers writing answers on boards, the use of mobile phones and artificial intelligence (AI), and access to examination questions before scheduled dates.
The examiner attributed the persistence of malpractice to parental pressure, schools’ desire to maintain high pass rates, poor study habits and the involvement of some examination officials.
He advocated wider deployment of CBT, CCTV surveillance, reduced involvement of schools in examination administration and the use of multiple versions of examination questions.
In Nasarawa, Mr David Anyuabuga, Nasarawa Chairman of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), called for decisive government action against miracle centres, saying their proliferation was destroying the reading culture and producing graduates who could not defend their certificates.
“The government must be hard on proprietors and operators of these illegal centres. If we continue to pamper them, in 10 years we will have leaders who cannot write their names but hold degrees,” he said.
Anyuabuga said many parents now preferred to pay for “expo” rather than invest in extra lessons that could help their children prepare academically.
A retired principal, Mr Peter Daniel, identified poverty, poor remuneration of teachers and weak supervision by examination bodies as factors fuelling miracle centres.
Daniel recommended unannounced monitoring, installation of CCTV cameras in examination halls and blacklisting of schools caught engaging in malpractice.
In Niger, stakeholders called for concerted efforts by examination bodies, government, schools, parents and other stakeholders to eradicate miracle centres and restore the credibility of public examinations.
Prof. Muhammad Bashar Nuhu, a former Commissioner for Tertiary Education in Niger, said the emergence of miracle centres had negatively affected the growth and development of tertiary institutions.
He described the situation as “garbage in, garbage out”, whereby students with poor academic foundations gained admission into tertiary institutions through results they could not defend.
Nuhu said technology, particularly CBT, could help reduce malpractice by improving monitoring, information gathering and the security of examination processes.
He recommended wireless surveillance cameras linked to control rooms at examination bodies’ headquarters, a reward system for whistle-blowers and strict disciplinary measures against offenders.
Nuhu also called for increased public awareness to discourage parents and candidates from viewing examinations as a “do-or-die” affair.
He advocated stronger vocational and technical education to provide alternative pathways for students with practical skills and reduce undue pressure to pursue conventional university education.
Mr Salihu Ibrahim, Niger Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), attributed the proliferation of miracle centres largely to inadequacies in the education sector.
Ibrahim called for improved infrastructure, adequate teaching staff and better motivation of teachers and examination officials.
He said many secondary schools lacked laboratories and other practical equipment needed to adequately prepare students for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and NECO examinations.
“Students go to miracle centres because they are not sure of passing the examinations if they write them without assistance from teachers,” he said.
Ibrahim cautioned against relying solely on CBT, saying the system could have limitations, particularly in examinations requiring candidates to adequately express themselves in essay-based questions.
Mr Abdullahi Jabi, an education expert, urged WAEC and NECO to intensify monitoring of examination centres and strengthen accreditation and supervision, particularly in difficult-to-access areas.
Jabi said CBT could help address some challenges associated with miracle centres but stressed the need for adequate infrastructure for its effective implementation.
Mrs Rukayya Mikail, Proprietor of First El Shabab School, called for stronger collaboration among parents, schools and examination bodies to discourage candidates from seeking undue assistance.
She advocated improved teaching and learning conditions, effective monitoring, adequate learning facilities and greater emphasis on skills acquisition.
Mr Mike Baba, Proprietor of Latter-Rain High School, Bida, described examination malpractice as a major national challenge that undermined the integrity of examinations and the quality of graduates produced by the education system.
Baba said government needed to enforce existing laws against individuals and schools involved in malpractice, adding that technology, including CBT, could strengthen monitoring and help curb the menace.
The stakeholders generally agreed that while CBT would make examination malpractice more difficult, its success would depend on reliable electricity, adequate computers, digital literacy, strong monitoring, effective sanctions and improved teaching and learning conditions.
They also called for greater parental responsibility, improved teacher welfare and a shift from the pursuit of examination grades to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and integrity. (NAN)
A.I
Aug. 10, 2026
Tags: Mr David Anyuabuga Mr Peter Daniel Mr Salihu Ibrahim Mr Stephen Ojapa Mrs Rukayya Mikail NECO WAEC