By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
COMPUTER-BASED West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2026, has recorded 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) said preparations were in place for the remaining papers.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, JKNewsMedia.com reports that WAEC said the examination commenced on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, with practicals and would end on Friday, June 19, 2026.
The examination spans eight weeks and three days.
The council stated that 958,564 candidates representing 48.92% are male, while 1,001,072 candidates representing 51.08% are female, adding that the figures reflected increased female participation and a decline in male participation compared to last year.
WAEC also said the examination covers 37 subjects comprising 97 papers, while about 29,000 senior secondary school teachers nominated by various Ministries of Education are participating as supervisors.
The council further said more schools opted for the Computer Based WASSCE this year following the success of the 2025 edition, its seamless nature, alignment with global best practices and the recommendation of the Federal Ministry of Education.
It added that some offshore schools in neighbouring countries using the WAEC syllabus also chose the computer-based format.
It also said that it had continued the serialization of examination papers as part of efforts to improve service delivery through Information and Communications Technology.
The council disclosed that the innovation ensures no two candidates have the same question sequence and that the system had been refined further this year and confirmed that the National Identification Number (NIN) was included in the registration process in compliance with FG directives.
Addressing insecurity in parts of the country, WAEC said conducting examinations under such conditions had been difficult but surmountable and added that it continues to partner with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), security agencies and state governments to ensure smooth conduct of the examination and combat malpractice.
However, the council warned that penalties would be imposed on candidates, supervisors and schools involved in examination malpractice as approved by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC).
It also stated that awareness campaigns, seminars and sensitisation materials had been deployed nationwide to educate stakeholders.
The council urged candidates to write only papers assigned to them, warning that deviations would attract consequences while cautioning schools against mass cheating, stating that erring schools would be derecognised, officials punished and candidates sanctioned.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that WAEC further warned rogue website operators against involvement in examination malpractice, stating that it would collaborate with the Police to track and prosecute offenders, while it advised parents against patronising such operators.
Highlighting its innovations, WAEC listed its Digital Certificate platform accessible worldwide for candidates from 1999 to date, Computer Based Test services at Ogba and Yaba, Digital Examiners Marks System, WAEC Chatbot, WAEC Verify, Centre Locator and Examination Malpractice Portal.
The council also listed resources introduced for candidates, including past question papers and answer booklets, Chief Examiners’ Reports, WAEC E Study Portal, WAEC E Learning Portal and WAEC Konnect.
At the conference, WAEC stated that results would be released 45-days after the last paper, while certificates would be printed and issued to schools within 90 days, adding that digital copies of certificates would also be available through the WAEC Digital Certificate platform.
The council said it remained fully prepared to deliver a credible CB-WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, State Ministries of Education, the NPF and other stakeholders.
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