The West African Examination Council has called for strict computer-based testing to curb examination malpractice in some centres called miracle centres.
Timothy Manga, an official with the WAEC office in Makurdi, advised in an interview on growing concerns over examination malpractice and its impact on the credibility of public examinations and educational certificates.
Mr Manga said allegations of the existence of “miracle” examination centres in Benue had become worrisome, though there had been no official confirmation of such centres in the state.
He described the development as a threat to the education system, saying schools should be known for quality teaching rather than their ability to facilitate examination malpractice.
“Any system that rewards students for cheating undermines those who have worked hard to prepare for examinations. We need an examination system where success is determined by knowledge, preparation, and competence, not by the ability to access assistance during examinations.
“Though WAEC has not gotten any information on any school being a ‘miracle centre’, we would continue to put our ears to the ground in case we hear of any that we can set an example with,” Mr Manga explained.
Rebecca Ezekiel, a teacher with NKST Secondary School Makurd, said the CBT centres could reduce the influence of schools and teachers over exams such as WAEC and the National Examination Council (NECO).
Mrs Ezekiel said the CBT would enable exam bodies to exercise greater control over examination venues, personnel, and security arrangements.
“Candidates should be examined under conditions that are independent of the schools where they receive instructions,” she said.
The teacher also recommended deploying biometric verification, closed-circuit TV cameras, and other technologies to strengthen examination monitoring.