By Abubakar Imam
The Director of the Computer-Based Test (CBT), University of Ilorin, Prof. Kamilu Raufu, has said that CBT has become an inevitable model of examinations administration in contemporary Nigeria considering the increasing numbers of students being enrolled for different academic programmes in universities and other institutions of higher learning.
Prof. Raufu made this observation last Tuesday (June 24, 2025) while featuring on ‘Table Talk’, a current affairs programme of UNILORIN 89.3 FM. The programme was anchored by Mr Abdulkadir Yinka Saliu.
The Director explained that the number of students, particularly in general courses, is increasing every day, adding that the only way they can be effectively evaluated is through CBT.
Prof. Raufu described CBT as an excellent way of evaluating the quality of knowledge acquired by students because of its so many positive peculiarities.
The Director said that it is also becoming clearer that students now prefer CBT to other forms of examinations because of the uniform way of their evaluation. He said that once a student gets an answer correctly the examiner has no choice than to give the concerned student his or her deserved mark.
He also said that CBT has also been assisting lecturers to assess their students without stress as they wouldn’t need to mark scripts running into thousands.
Prof. Raufu also explained that results are also swiftly made available at the end of an examination compared to what is obtainable in the other forms of examinations.
The Director, who thanked Unilorites for their cooperation with the management and staff of the CBT Unit, also said that his Unit is fully prepared for the ongoing Second Semester examinations as he advised students not to come to the CBT Halls with any incriminating materials.
Prof. Raufu reaffirmed the leadership position of the University in CBT among its peers in Nigeria, saying that the University pioneered the mode of examination administration in 2008 during the tenure of the 8th Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede.
The don, who is also the Chairman of the University Certificate Screening Committee, said that his Committee is charged with the responsibility of authenticating the genuineness of Ordinary Advanced Levels certificates of students prior to their graduation.
He said that the University has decided to engage in the screening of its students’ credentials while they are in their penultimate levels to avoid bringing disrepute to the image of the University.
Prof. Raufu, who teaches at the Department of Mathematics, enjoined students not to exhibit any form of phobia for Mathematics as he said that there was nothing difficult in the subject.
The don explained that Mathematics is like any other academic subject as he said that the only way one can stand out in any subject is to study hard.
Prof. Raufu, who said that he was initially weak in the subject, said that anyone who is determined can excel in Mathematics as he said that practice always makes perfect.
