By Sandra Kenneth
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has called for the adoption of strict Computer-Based Testing (CBT) as a critical strategy to curb examination malpractice and eliminate illegal operators known as “miracle centres.”
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Timothy Manga, an official with the WAEC office in Makurdi, highlighted growing concerns over how organized cheating threatens the integrity of public examinations and the value of educational certificates.
In the Nigerian educational context, “miracle centres” refer to exam venues where illicit, organized assistance is provided to candidates, enabling them to secure unearned high scores.
Manga warned that the prevalence of such practices poses a severe threat to the nation’s educational standards, emphasizing that secondary institutions must prioritize academic excellence over facilitating misconduct.
“Any system that rewards students for cheating undermines those who have worked hard to prepare for examinations,” Manga noted. “We need an examination system where success is determined by knowledge, preparation, and competence, not by the ability to access unauthorized assistance.”
Although allegations regarding the operation of these illicit centers in Benue State remain unconfirmed officially, Manga assured that the council remains vigilant. “Though WAEC has not received definitive information on any specific school acting as a miracle centre, we will continue to keep our ears to the ground and deal decisively with any offenders as a deterrent,” he stated.
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Echoing the call for reform, Mrs. Rebecca Ezekiel, a teacher at NKST Secondary School in Makurdi, argued that establishing independent, CBT-equipped examination centers would significantly curb school and teacher influence over major assessments like WAEC and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
According to Ezekiel, transitioning to CBT allows examination bodies to retain complete authority over security, personnel, and testing venues. She added that candidates should be tested under neutral conditions detached from their familiar learning environments. To further bolster security, she recommended integrating advanced technologies, including biometric verification and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance.
However, offering a contrasting perspective, Mr. Jude Odeh, a school proprietor in Otukpo Local Government Area, cautioned against quick assumptions. He stated that enrolling transfer students into final-year secondary classes (SS3) should not automatically brand a school as a miracle center.
While acknowledging widespread rumors about such venues in the region, Odeh noted that he has yet to identify a specific school operating in that capacity, attributing some student transfers to high registration and tuition fees charged by competitor schools rather than an intent to cheat.
