As Nigeria moves toward a future of fully computer-based public examinations, a growing question is surfacing in classrooms: what happens to students who have barely touched a computer?
That concern is at the centre of fresh warnings from the Nigeria Union of Teachers, which says many schools, especially in rural communities — still lack the infrastructure, internet access and digital exposure needed to support the Federal Government’s planned transition to full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for public examinations by 2027.
National President of the union, Audu Amba, said while the NUT supports digital reforms and recognises the need for Nigeria to align with global education standards, realities in many communities suggest the country is not yet fully prepared for such a shift.
Amba spoke during a sensitisation programme on digital literacy for educators organised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria in collaboration with the 21st Century Teacher Initiative.
While describing the initiative as commendable, he warned that without serious investments in infrastructure, digital access and teacher development, the move to CBT could widen educational inequality between urban and rural students.
“NUT is supporting anything digital, because we need to move with what is trending globally. We cannot isolate ourselves from universal best practices, but there must be a deliberate move to equip our schools, teachers, and learners,” he said.
According to Amba, many students in rural areas get to senior secondary school without meaningful exposure to digital devices.
“If you go to some villages, you will discover that many graduating students have never seen an iPhone, not to mention using a tablet or laptop, yet they are in SS3. Then, tomorrow, you ask them to go and write a CBT examination.
Automatically, you know such a child is already disadvantaged,” he said.
He added that poor electricity, weak telecommunications networks and unreliable internet access remain everyday challenges for many schools outside major cities.
“There are places in this country where even phone calls cannot go through. If you cannot make a call in a school environment, how do you talk about online learning or CBT examinations?” he asked.
Earlier, at a stakeholders’ roundtable on the future of education in Nigeria, Amba delivered a presentation titled “Digital transformation in education: Teachers’ readiness, welfare and professional growth.”
He argued that digital transformation goes beyond placing computers in classrooms and should involve broader changes in how teaching, learning, assessment and school management are delivered.
According to him, successful digital education depends on systems such as smart classrooms, e-learning platforms, artificial intelligence-assisted learning, digital assessments, learning management systems, digital libraries and stable internet access.
He also identified digital literacy, teacher readiness, positive attitudes toward innovation and institutional support as essential for meaningful reform.
Still, Amba warned that teachers themselves face barriers, including poor internet connectivity, limited access to digital tools, inadequate training, weak policy implementation and low remuneration.
“Teachers need access to laptops, tablets, internet services, digital teaching resources, and a conducive work environment. Technology cannot transform education if teachers themselves are not supported,” he said.
To bridge the gaps, he called for stronger investment in education, wider internet access, structured digital training for teachers, better welfare packages and stronger partnerships between government, private organisations and development partners.
Credit: TheGuardian
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