The West African Examinations Council has called for the strict adoption of computer-based testing to curb examination malpractice in centres popularly known as “miracle centres.”
A WAEC official in Makurdi, Benue State, Timothy Manga, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday, August 10, 2026, amid growing concerns over examination malpractice and its impact on the credibility of public examinations and academic certificates.
Manga said allegations of the existence of “miracle centres” in Benue State were worrisome, although he noted that WAEC had not officially confirmed the existence of any such centre in the state.
In the Nigerian education system, a “miracle centre” refers to an examination centre where organised malpractice is allegedly facilitated, enabling candidates to obtain unauthorised assistance or answers during examinations.
Manga described the practice as a threat to the education system, stressing that schools should be recognised for quality teaching rather than their ability to facilitate examination malpractice.
“Any system that rewards students for cheating undermines those who have worked hard to prepare for examinations.
“We need an examination system where success is determined by knowledge, preparation and competence, not by the ability to access assistance during examinations.
“Though WAEC has not gotten any information on any school being a ‘miracle centre’, we would continue to put our ears to the ground in case we hear of any that we can set an example with,” he said.
Manga’s comments followed renewed concerns over allegations of examination malpractice in some parts of the country and calls for stronger measures to protect the integrity of public examinations.
A teacher with NKST Secondary School, Makurdi, Rebecca Ezekiel, also advocated the establishment of independent examination centres to reduce the influence of schools and teachers over examinations conducted by WAEC and the National Examinations Council.
Ezekiel said CBT would enable examination bodies to exercise greater control over examination venues, personnel and security arrangements.
“Candidates should be examined under conditions that are independent of the schools where they receive instructions,” she said.
She also recommended the use of biometric verification, Closed-Circuit Television cameras and other technologies to strengthen examination monitoring and prevent malpractice.
However, a school proprietor in Otukpo Local Government Area, Jude Odeh, cautioned against labelling schools as “miracle centres” simply because they admit students into their final year of secondary school.
Odeh said he had heard allegations about the existence of such centres in Benue but was yet to identify any specific school operating as one.
He explained that some parents transfer their children to other schools for various reasons, including the high cost of examination registration and school fees.
According to him, some schools charge examination fees arbitrarily, and when combined with tuition and other levies, the total cost becomes too high for some parents to afford.
Odeh, however, said some schools in Benue do not admit new students into Senior Secondary School Three, insisting that only students promoted from SS2 are registered for external examinations.
Truth Live News gathered that calls for CBT have intensified as examination bodies seek to reduce human interference, strengthen monitoring and improve the credibility of public examinations.
