He said the administration has also made significant progress in reducing examination malpractice through the introduction of computer-based testing and a hybrid examination model designed to strengthen the credibility of public assessments nationwide.
Alausa made the remarks during the maiden convocation ceremony of Miva Open University, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Lagos, where he spoke extensively about ongoing reforms aimed at restoring integrity to Nigeria’s education system.
According to him, the changes were necessary to rebuild trust in public examinations and eliminate decades of systemic abuse that undermined students and the credibility of results.
“We initiated major examination reforms to adopt computer-based testing and a hybrid examination system. I can definitely report to you that the pervasive cheating that pervaded WAEC and NECO is now a thing of the past. Within just one year, we have brought it down to zero,” he said.
The minister recounted the recurring anxiety that previously surrounded national examinations, noting that examination question leakages had become so common that alerts would often arrive before papers were even written.
“Just last year, whenever WAEC examinations were being conducted, I would wake up with palpitations because my colleague, the Minister of State for Education, would send messages informing me that the questions for a particular subject had already leaked,” he said.
He further described how verification efforts were carried out to confirm the authenticity of suspected leaked papers, adding that the confirmation often came directly from examination authorities.
“I would forward them to the WAEC Head of National Office and ask whether they were genuine questions, and the response would often be, ‘Honourable Minister, I’m sorry, it is true,’” Alausa added.
He explained that the prevalence of leakages not only encouraged dishonesty but also placed immense pressure on students who intended to sit for examinations fairly.
“When questions leak before examinations, even students who want to do the right thing are pressured into doing the wrong thing. That was the reality for decades,” he said.
Alausa said the Federal Government’s aggressive intervention had now significantly curtailed malpractice in WAEC and NECO examinations, describing the progress as unprecedented in recent years.
“Today, because we are determined to protect the integrity of our examination system, we have stopped examination malpractice in WAEC and NECO for the first time in the last seven years,” he said.
He also linked the reforms to the broader education transformation agenda under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which he said is aimed at repositioning learning outcomes across all levels.
According to him, the Federal Executive Council has approved amendments to key education laws, including the Universal Basic Education Act and the National Senior Secondary School Education Act, to improve governance and service delivery in the sector.
Beyond examination reforms, the minister highlighted ongoing curriculum restructuring aimed at reducing subject overload while strengthening foundational learning, critical thinking, and skills relevant to the modern economy.
He added that the government has also increased investment in medical education, technical and vocational training, student housing, and digital infrastructure as part of efforts to expand access and improve the quality of education nationwide.
Alausa maintained that these interventions are central to building a more credible, technology-driven, and future-ready education system for Nigerian students.