What appeared impossible was on Thursday accomplished, when senior staff members of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, undertook their first-ever Computer-Based Test, CBT Promotion Examinations.
The candidates who partook in the CBT examinations were elderly tutorial and non-tutorial ASUBEB staff members from Levels 13 to 14, 14 to 15, and 15 to 16, due for the 2023 promotions.
Speaking during the exercise held at the Kachikwu ICT Centre, Awka, the Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, Dr Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi said the decision to start the CBT promotion examination is in line with the manifesto of the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to digitize all processes of governance in the state.
She said the ASUBEB, being a critical aspect of the State Education Sector focusing on the basics, cannot afford to be operating in the analog when the state is moving ahead digitally.
“We are in the process of digitizing administration and teaching in the ASUBEB and if the staff will continue to do paper and pen promotion examinations, then they cannot key in the vision of Mr Governor.
“I announced to the staff last year that we can no longer do pen and paper examinations again because it is a shame in the Solution government for us to be assessing our staff in the analog format.
“So, with this CBT examination, we want to let the teachers and non-teaching staff know that the game has changed as far as conversion from analog to digital is concerned.
“And we saw many teachers enroll for tutorials on ICT and this is a good development for the state education sector.
“Months ago, we saw the governor distribute laptops to teachers. If they continue in the analog format, then what is the gain of the governor’s laptops?
So, Mr governor’s disruptive change might appear difficult but when you apply your energy to it, you will find that it is beneficial.
“And the good news is that many of the candidates passed because the results are already out,” Nwadinobi noted.
On her part, the Secretary of the ASUBEB Board, Hon Ebele Mgbemena, said the accomplishment is enough evidence that nothing is actually impossible with the right motivation and focus.
“What seems to be impossible is today possible.
“They have been practicing pen and paper examinations and some of them were afraid of the CBT when it was announced, giving all kinds of excuses such as visual impairment and others.
“But today, you see that it is working, all thanks to the leadership which Governor Soludo is providing,” she said.
On his part, Mr Pius Okoye, the Head Teacher, at Community Primary School, Umueje noted that when they were told about the CBT promotion exams, they were uncomfortable.
He said, “I personally enrolled myself in a private computer house and started learning.
“Today, I am glad to say that it is not even as difficult as we envisaged because the computer is self-explanatory. So the organizers did it very well.
“This will boost our knowledge of ICT so that we can impact our students.”
According to Mrs Miriam Okoye, a Chief Administrative Officer, from the non-tutorial group, they are happy to be the first to break the pen-and-paper jinx, expressing appreciation to the governor and the ASUBEB board for taking the
bull by the horns.
“We are happy to be the first to break the jinx of pen and paper promotion examination.
“In fact, I will tell you that we prefer this to analog promotion examinations,” she enthused.
