The Head of National Office, West African Certificate Examination, Nigeria, Dr Amos Dangut, said as of Monday, 8,285 candidates had registered for the maiden Computer Based-West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination for Private Candidates, 2024.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Dangut revealed that the exam would start on Wednesday, January 31, and end on Saturday, February 17, 2024, in Nigeria.

In November 2023, WAEC, in a press release, announced that it had concluded plans to conduct its WASSCE for private candidates using the computer-based model.

Dangut said that WAEC was aware that the news of this innovation was initially greeted with some level of resistance, saying, “This only served as fuel for the council to forge ahead on its course to conduct the CB-WASSCE.”

He said the council was encouraged by the acceptance of the innovation as evidenced by the number of entries received so far.

“As of today, Monday, January 29, 2024, a total of 8,285 candidates from across the federation have registered for the examination. Out of this number, 3,949 are male, representing 47.66 per cent while 4,336 are female, representing 52.3 per cen of the total candidature,” he said.

Dangut explained that candidates would be examined in 19 subjects, made up of 26 papers in a hybrid mode.

“Plans have, therefore, been concluded for this first-ever computer-based examination, which will be delivered in a hybrid mode. The hybrid mode entails that the Objective or Multiple Choice questions will be rendered on-screen and candidates are required to give their responses on the screen.

“The Essay and Practical questions will be rendered on-screen, likewise, but candidates will be required to give their responses using the answer booklets provided,” he said.

He called on candidates to visit WAEC’s e-learning portal for materials that would demonstrate to candidates the requirements for the conduct of the CB-WASSCE.

“We are set for the conduct of CB-WASSCE for Private Candidates, in 2024. We have and we will always work hand-in-hand with the Federal Ministry of Education, the various state Ministries of Education, the Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies and stakeholders, to deliver, as usual, a credible examination to the Nigerian child and the general public,” Dangut said.