Kwara introduces computer-based promotion exams for civil servants

The Kwara State Government has conducted its first fully digitised promotion examinations for civil servants, marking a shift from manual testing to computer-based assessment.

The Acting Head of Service, Olufunke Mercy Shittu, described the exercise as a major step in modernising the state’s civil service.

Shittu spoke on Monday during a monitoring visit to the CBT centre at the Kwara State College of Education in Ilorin, where candidates sat for the examinations under the new system.

She said the introduction of computer-based testing reflects global best practices and signals the gradual end of paper-based processes in the state’s public service.

According to her, the initiative is the first of its kind in Kwara and aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and service delivery.

Shittu credited the development to the support of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, noting that his administration has prioritised reforms that are reshaping the civil service.

She said the government’s backing has enabled the seamless rollout of the initiative and assured that the reform process would continue without interruption.

The Acting Head of Service also commended the Civil Service Commission for driving the implementation, describing the process leading to the examinations as rigorous but successful.

She urged civil servants to embrace digital tools, noting that the transition to computer-based systems would extend beyond promotion examinations to other aspects of public service operations.

Shittu added that the new system is designed to eliminate challenges associated with the previous method, including missing scripts, administrative lapses and examination malpractice.

She called on candidates to remain calm, follow instructions and cooperate with officials, assuring them that adequate support had been put in place to ensure a smooth process.

The government, she said, remains committed to building a more efficient and technology-driven civil service in the state.