Institutional Drivers and Structural Challenges of Implementing Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in Nigerian Universities

Ali Abdu Giginyu, Auwalu Muhammad Giginyu

Abstract


This study evaluated the foundational institutional factors necessitating the transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in Nigerian universities and identified the critical structural and systemic bottlenecks hindering its optimal deployment. The study adopted a quantitative research methodology utilizing a cross-sectional survey design. The target population for this study structurally encompassed the professional and academic operators of the university examination system. Recognizing the limited number of specialized IT personnel on campuses, a representative sample of 384 professional respondents was established, comprising 32 CBT Center Managers & System Administrators (exactly 4 selected per institution) and 352 University Lecturers (exactly 44 selected per institution) across eight selected federal and state universities. Primary data collection was executed using a validated, structured questionnaire, and the retrieved data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, mean scores, and standard deviations, governed by an evaluation mean decision threshold of 2.50. The empirical results revealed that the primary institutional drivers pushing the implementation of CBT include the urgent need to mitigate widespread examination malpractices (Mean=3.68), the demand to eliminate administrative inefficiencies such as missing scripts and delayed grading (Mean=3.55), and massive student overcrowding (Mean=3.42). Conversely, the study identified severe structural challenges hindering optimal deployment, led by frequent erratic power outages and electrical grid failures (Mean =3.74), unstable internet and intranet connectivity (Mean=3.61), and a persistent shortage of technical personnel competent in handling CBT applications (Mean=3.48). The study concludes that while the educational shift toward CBT is highly justified by its potential to restore academic integrity, its operational success remains severely vulnerable to systemic infrastructural deficits. It is recommended that university administrations install high-capacity solar power banks, establish intensive digital literacy pre-tests for incoming undergraduates, and set up continuous training frameworks for system administrators. 

Institutional Drivers and Structural Challenges of Implementing Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in Nigerian Universities


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References


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