Plans are underway to transition major national examinations to a computer based format within the next three years. Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, disclosed that improved internet access would support ongoing reforms aimed at improving the integrity of national examinations. He noted that this forms part of a new initiative to connect schools across Nigeria to reliable internet services.
"We plan that within the next two to three years, major examinations such as WAEC and NECO will transition fully to Computer Based Testing, similar to what is currently being implemented by JAMB," Alausa stated.
The initiative follows a directive by President Bola Tinubu to accelerate the expansion of national digital infrastructure. To actualise this, the Ministry of Education is collaborating with the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. A statement signed by the Director of Press, Folashade Boriowo, revealed that two technical working groups have been created to accelerate implementation. While one group will focus on connectivity for tertiary institutions, the other will address internet access for foundational and secondary schools.
Alausa expressed confidence that the first phase of the programme would begin to show tangible improvements within the next three months. He highlighted that the initiative builds on earlier efforts carried out through the Nigerian Research and Education Network, which previously supported broadband connectivity for tertiary institutions under a World Bank funded project.
"Connectivity is not limited to broadband fibre alone. It also involves telecommunications towers, satellite systems and other digital infrastructure required to provide reliable internet access across the country," he noted.
He added that the government is implementing large scale connectivity projects, including the deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic broadband infrastructure and the installation of 3,700 telecommunications towers in underserved communities.
"We are planning proactively so that as broadband cables are laid and towers deployed across the country, they are strategically connected to our schools from primary and junior secondary schools to senior secondary schools and all tertiary institutions," Alausa emphasized.
Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, observed that technology driven education cannot thrive without strong internet connectivity. He highlighted the challenge of distributing capacity from the eight international subsea internet cables landing in Lagos.
"Most of the internet capacity enters Nigeria through submarine cables landing in Lagos, but without sufficient inland fibre infrastructure, that capacity cannot effectively reach schools and communities across the country," Tijani noted.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to ensure investments in digital infrastructure translate into improved learning outcomes.
