Education
WAEC addresses Arewa Youths’ concerns over CBT exam

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) said the planned Computer-Based Testing (CBT) model for the conduct of the 2024 examination was only scheduled for private candidates and would not be used for general school candidates.
The Acting Head of Public Affairs of WAEC Nigeria, Moyosola Adesina, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
The examination body announced on 13 November that it had dumped the paper and pencil test model and had adopted the Computer-Based Test mode for the conduct of the Senior School Certificate Examination.
Reacting to the report, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum called for the cancellation of the proposed Computer-Based Test format in the forthcoming West African Examinations Council examinations in the country.
According to the forum, introducing such a mode of examination will result in mass failure for students, particularly in rural areas where computer skills are scarce or completely absent.
Adesina further said contrary to speculations that the CBT model would be adopted for all categories of exams to be conducted by the council in 2024, it would only introduce the CBT model for private candidates examination only.
The statement noted that the council was aware of the infrastructural deficit that may undermine the successful implementation of the CBT across all its examination centres in Nigeria which was why it restricted the CBT model to private candidates who were majorly drawn from urban areas.
The statement read in part, “For the avoidance of doubt, the West African Examinations Council hereby states unequivocally, that it had never announced the adoption of the Computer Based Testing model for the conduct of the WASSCE for school candidates, 2024.
“In an interview published by The PUNCH Newspaper on 30 November 2023, the Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, confirmed that the Computer Based Testing model would not be applied to the WASSCE for school candidates just yet.
“He stated that there was still a lot to be done to equip schools with the needed infrastructure, resources and adequately trained manpower to engage and cooperate with WAEC for the conduct of CB-WASSCE for school candidates”.
Adesina disclosed further that as part of effort to ensure that the CBT process was seamless, a trial test would be conducted for candidates to familiarise themselves with the model.
“Meanwhile, the council is not unaware of possible challenges that may be encountered by candidates during the conduct of the examination. To this end, a trial test and a free mock examination have been scheduled to take place on WAEC’s designated platforms for prospective candidates, whether secondary school students or out-of-school individuals, to familiarise themselves with the testing environment, prior to the commencement of the WASSCE for private candidates – First Series, 2024.
“WAEC Nigeria has engaged the services of CBT centres across the country and checked their suitability to host candidates for the CB-WASSCE, throughout its duration.
“As an organisation that prioritises excellence, innovation and professionalism as its core values, the general public can be assured that WAEC would not compromise its standard on quality assessment and global best practices, to ensure the smooth conduct of the WASSCE for Private Candidates – First Series, 2024”, the statement noted.
Education
Tinubu appoints Awuzie substantive Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Oko

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Chioma Awuzie as the substantive Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State.
Mr Chijioke Ibezimako, Public Relations Officer of the institution confirmed the appointment to NAN in Awka on Thursday.
Awuzie is a globally recognized scholar with a rich portfolio of research and publications.
Ibezimako said the appointment of Awuzie as Rector of Federal Polytechnic Oko took effect from February 5 for a five-year term.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Chioma Awuzie as the Polytechnic Rector.
“This follows the recommendation of the Institution’s Governing Council under the chairmanship of Sen. Dr Barnabas Gemade,” he said.
Awuzie holds a Doctorate Degree in Physical and Materials Chemistry and Chief Lecturer in the Department of Science Laboratory Technology.
Until her appointment, Awuzie was the Director in charge of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Projects in the Polytechnic.
She has held several leadership positions in the institution, including Head of the Department of Renewable Energy Research and Development, Director of the Petroleum, Coal, and Renewable Energy Research Unit, and Director of International Higher Education Academic Organisations.
Awuzie had served as Coordinator, Technical, Vocational Education, and Training, TVET.
She was part of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, which drafted the Renewable Energy Technology curriculum for Nigerian Polytechnics, currently in use.
Education
NELFUND disburses N20bn to 192,906 students

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as of Feb.3, has disbursed a total of N20,074,050,000 for institutional fees, benefiting no fewer than 192,906 students across various tertiary institutions in the country.
This is contained in a statement by Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director, NELFUND, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
Mr Sawyerr also disclosed that the Fund had so far received loan applications from no fewer than 364,042 students, adding that about 169,114 students had so far benefitted from the NELFUND’s monthly stipends disbursement.
He added that N12, 818,960,000, had been disbursed in this regard, with each student receiving N20, 000.
“We appreciate the unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu in making higher education accessible to all deserving Nigerian students.
“NELFUND remains committed to transparency and efficiency in managing the student loan scheme and will continue to provide accurate updates as disbursements progress.
NAN
Education
Kano revives school feeding program after three years

The Kano State Government has revived its school feeding program across public primary schools and early childhood care centers, with an estimated budget of N2.2 billion.
The initiative, captured in the 2025 budget allocation aims to enhance the nutritional well-being of pupils, boost learning capacity, and improve school enrollment and retention through community participation.
The program, previously implemented under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, was suspended in Kano three years ago due to irregularities, including poor service delivery and fund mismanagement, which hampered its success.
Additionally, the government has allocated N1.8 billion in the 2025 budget to provide meals for students in public secondary boarding schools, which were recently reopened by the current administration. These schools had been shut down by the previous government due to security concerns.
Commissioner for Planning and Budget, Musa Sulaiman Shanono, disclosed these details while briefing journalists on the sectoral allocations and breakdown of the 2025 budget.
According to Shanono, education received the largest share of the budget, with an allocation of over N205 billion—accounting for 29% of the total budget—reflecting Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s commitment to revitalizing the sector and improving educational outcomes.
Further allocations include N912 million for grants and contributions to overseas university students, while local students will receive N2.7 billion in scholarship allowances.
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