RismadarVoice Reporters, August 10, 2026
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has advocated wider adoption of computer-based testing (CBT) as part of efforts to tackle examination malpractice and curb the activities of so-called “miracle centres.”
A WAEC official in Makurdi, Timothy Manga, made the recommendation while speaking with newsmen about concerns surrounding examination malpractice and its implications for the credibility of public examinations and academic certificates.
Manga said reports alleging the existence of “miracle centres” in Benue State were concerning, although WAEC had not officially confirmed any school operating under such a system in the state.
He warned that examination malpractice posed a serious threat to the education system, stressing that schools should be recognised for the quality of education they provide rather than their ability to assist candidates in cheating during examinations.
According to him, an effective examination system should reward students based on their knowledge, preparation and competence rather than their ability to obtain unauthorised assistance.
Manga said WAEC would continue monitoring examination activities and would investigate any credible information concerning institutions involved in malpractice.
Meanwhile, a teacher with NKST Secondary School, Makurdi, Rebecca Ezekiel, suggested that independent examination centres could help reduce the influence of schools and teachers over external examinations conducted by WAEC and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Ezekiel said separating examination venues from candidates’ regular schools could give examination bodies greater control over venues, personnel and security arrangements.
She also recommended the use of biometric verification, closed-circuit television cameras and other technological tools to strengthen the monitoring of examinations and prevent impersonation and other forms of 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 education.
Odeh said he had heard claims about the existence of such centres in Benue but could not identify any particular school operating as one.
He explained that parents sometimes transfer their children to other schools in their final year for reasons including the cost of examination registration and school fees.
According to him, some schools impose high charges for examination registration, making the combined cost of tuition and external examination fees difficult for some families to afford.
Odeh added that some schools in Benue do not admit fresh students into Senior Secondary School III, choosing instead to register only students who progressed from SS II.
He maintained that such practices should not, on their own, be interpreted as evidence that a school is operating as a “miracle centre.”
