Oyo State Ready for WAEC CBT Rollout, Plans 60,000 Laptops for Schools

The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its readiness for the official rollout of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), in line with the Federal Government’s directive for a gradual transition from pen-and-paper examinations to full digital testing.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, following a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, by the Zonal Coordinator and Deputy Registrar of WAEC, Mr. Waheed Amode, and his management team.

According to Olayiwola, Governor Seyi Makinde has directed that the financial implications for the procurement of more than 60,000 laptops for public senior secondary schools across the state be carefully worked out.

He said the initiative is aimed at positioning Oyo State ahead of the nationwide adoption of computer-based examinations.

The commissioner commended WAEC for taking proactive steps to address challenges encountered during the 2025 examinations and assured the Council of the ministry’s continued collaboration. He also reiterated the government’s commitment to tackling examination malpractice and preventing the vandalisation of school facilities.

In his remarks, Amode said the visit was to express WAEC’s appreciation to the Oyo State Ministry of Education for its support during the 2025 examinations and for its long-standing partnership with the Council. He described the ministry as a critical stakeholder in the success of WAEC operations in the state.

Amode revealed that registration for the 2026 May/June WAEC examination closed on February 2, 2026. He added that the upcoming examinations would be conducted using a combination of CBT and pen-and-paper formats, depending on the level of preparedness of individual schools.

He explained that schools willing to participate fully in the CBT mode are required to formally notify WAEC through official correspondence.

The WAEC official also issued a stern warning against examination misconduct, stressing that candidates caught with mobile phones in examination halls risk severe penalties. He noted that, in some cases, such violations could result in the cancellation of an entire school’s results, urging school principals and teachers to uphold integrity to strengthen educational standards.