# WAEC's Shocking Delay: What It Means for Students!

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has just announced that the long anticipated transition to Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode for the Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) has been pushed back from 2026 to 2027.

WAEC has also announced that the May/June 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will now be a "crucial test run.” This means students will have to juggle between the new CBT format and the traditional paper-and-pen method. 

This was revealed by none other than Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, the Chairwoman of the Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC. During the 63rd Annual Meeting of the NNC, she tried to calm nerves by assuring everyone that “no candidate sitting the 2026 WASSCE will be disenfranchised in any form.”

Hajia Abdulkadir went on to share WAEC’s plans to ensure this transition doesn’t implode. They’re rolling out training for senior school students using tablets and digital pens for essay responses. 

 In her speech, the WAEC Chair also highlighted a review of the Basic and Secondary School Curricula, claiming that candidates won’t face restrictions when registering for subjects across various electives. Specifically, she mentioned that “Science students are not barred from taking Economics as an elective.” 

Adding to the drama, the time frame for uploading Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) has been extended, all in a bid to capture data accurately for the 2026 candidates. 

As WAEC stumbles through this transition, one thing is clear: the focus on equitable opportunities sounds great, but students are left wondering if they’ll ever feel truly prepared in this tech-driven examination landscape.