BY TONY OKAFOR
The growing adoption of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in Nigeria’s examination system has been hailed as a step toward modernization.
However, beneath its appeal lies a complex reality demanding careful reflection.
Nigeria must not prioritize digitization over fairness, reliability, and inclusiveness.
Pen-on-paper (PoP) examinations remain the most accessible form of assessment in a country grappling with digital inequality and weak infrastructure.
Many students face their first encounter with computers during high-stakes CBT exams, highlighting the exclusionary nature of the system.
CBT assumes a level playing field, but Nigeria’s unreliable electricity, erratic internet, and scarce functional computer centres make this assumption hollow.
Technical glitches, lack of transparency, and new forms of cheating are significant concerns.
CBT also favours multiple-choice formats, limiting the assessment of critical skills like essay writing and analytical reasoning.
This is not a rejection of technology, but a call for thoughtful integration.
Until Nigeria addresses its digital gaps, CBT should not dominate our assessment framework.
Countries like Finland, Germany, and South Africa prioritize written exams due to their reliability and inclusivity.
Indian policymakers reinstated pen-on-paper options after facing backlash, a lesson Nigeria should heed.
Our policymakers must prioritize educational equity and system integrity over appearances.
Dismantling PoP exams now would disadvantage thousands of students and weaken the credibility of our educational assessments.
Instead, we should invest in digital literacy, build infrastructure, and run controlled CBT pilots.
A blended approach is the wiser path. Pen-on-paper remains indispensable, especially for subjects demanding depth, reasoning, and expressive clarity.
CBT has a place, but it must grow gradually and responsibly alongside, not in place of, PoP examinations.
Let us prioritize fairness, resilience, and inclusivity in our assessment structure.
The goal should not be to digitize at all costs, but to serve the majority of students effectively.
