How to run CBT exams in your school

Why schools move to CBT

• Objective questions mark themselves, so scores are ready the moment the test ends
• Students practise the format they'll meet in JAMB and entrance exams
• Shuffled questions and options make copying much harder
• Questions are kept in a bank and reused, term after term

1. Build your question bank

Start with the subjects and classes that have the most objective questions, such as Mathematics, English and the sciences in SSS. Ask each subject teacher to add questions by topic, with the correct option. Importing questions from a spreadsheet is much faster than typing them one by one.

Aim for more questions than each test needs, so every student can get a different selection.

2. Plan the devices

You don't need a computer per student. A room of 20 computers can test a class of 60 in three sittings, and students can also use tablets or phones if your system works on them. Check every device the day before: charged, connected and signed out.

3. Set the test

• Choose the class, subject and number of questions
• Set the time limit and when the test opens and closes
• Shuffle questions and options
• Decide whether students see their score at the end

4. On the day

1. 1Students sign in with their own login.
2. 2A teacher supervises the room, as with a paper exam.
3. 3The timer submits each test automatically when time runs out.
4. 4Scores are ready straight away for the teacher to review.

5. Get scores onto report cards

The time saved on marking is lost if someone copies CBT scores into the report card by hand. Use a system where CBT scores can go straight into the CA or exam column.

CBT in Qyskul

Qyskul's CBT has question banks by subject and topic, question import, timed and shuffled tests that mark themselves, and works on computers, tablets and phones. The same CBT runs entrance tests for admissions.

Questions