The Nation Newspaper

Tag: WAEC

  • Lawmaker lifts students

    A member representing Epe Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Tasir Olawale Raji, has given out  West African Examination Council (WAEC) forms to students in secondary schools in his constituency.

    The distribution took place in Epe.

    He appreciated parents and guardians for their efforts on the students, saying he was ready to support the future of the students.

    Raji told the students to be up and doing to become great leaders in years to come.

    In addition, he promised to deliver more than these in the office, to cater for all children, youths, adults and non-indigenes in his constituency.

    Read also: We are indebted to the electorate, says lawmaker

    He promised that the royal fathers will be accorded their due honour and placed in their normal position, adding they would be elevated more than before in this new dispensation.

    He called on all and sundry to support the incoming governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, so that Lagos State will be the best among all other states in the country.

    He commiserated with the families of the collapsed building in Lagos recently, saying: “God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss.”

  • Only 26 per cent pass WASSCE first series

    The West African Examinations Council ( WAEC ) on Tuesday released results of its 2019 West African Senior School Certificate (SSCE) for Private Candidates – First Series with only 26.08 per cent making credits and above in five subjects including English and Mathematics.

    Head of National Office, Mr Olu Adenipekun, said at a press briefing held at the Council’s headquarters in Yaba, Lagos that the result was coming about 30 days after the conclusion of the examination on February 4, 2019.

    “A total of 3,102 candidates representing 26.08 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects including English Language and General Mathematics. The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for Private Candidates 2018 – First Series was 17.5 per cent,” he said.

    The examination, which was introduced as a second alternative for private candidates apart from the November/December WASSCE, was written by 11,892 candidates out of 12,202 that registered.
    From among those, Adenipekun said 11,686 had their results fully processed while on 206 had their results withheld for errors which are still being processed.

    Only 376 candidates (3.16 per cent) had their results withheld because of examination malpractice.

    The HNO said the incidence of examination malpractice was low because the number of candidates was manageable compared to the school examination written by over one million candidates yearly.

    “It is very difficult to have a large number of candidates writing an examination and not have examination malpractice. But the size of the candidates for this diet of exam allows us to monitor closely the ad-hoc staff better than other diets.

    “For this diet, we had Council staff monitoring each centre in addition to the supervisors and others. So this worked to reduce examination malpractice,” he said.

    Regarding results withheld for errors, Adenipekun said the Council had made efforts to reduce errors in the process of registeration but still patiently sorts through scripts to identify candidates who made mistakes in their registration numbers or who submitted scripts without names.

    Giving further statistics about the examination, Adenipekun said 6,180 (52 per cent9 candidates who took the examination were male, while 5,712 were female.

    The HNO expressed hope that this particular diet of WASSCE for private candidates would soon gain popularity such that it would reduce the pressure for those outside secondary school to register for the school examination conducted in April/May.

  • Fayemi pays N24 million administrative charges for WAEC candidates

    Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi has approved the payment of administrative charges of over N24million to school Principals.

    Fayemi approved the funds for 13,390 candidates who will be writing the April/May 2019 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination in the Public Secondary Schools in the State.

    In furtherance of his free and compulsory education policy, Fayemi had earlier paid the WASSSCE fees for all students in the state’s public schools.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi, who disclosed this on Friday in Ado Ekiti, the State capital, added that the government has decided to completely change the face of education.

    Ajayi, however, disclosed that Vice Principals that have served for over twenty years would henceforth be engaged in supervision of Ceritificate Examinations in the State.

    He said: ” The State Government has paid the sum of N1, 850 (One thousand Eight hundred and Fifty Naira) per student for 13,390 candidates to take care of administrative charges and incidental expenses during the examination.

    “Any school involved in examination malpractices would be punished in accordance with the law”, he warned.

    The Permanent Secretary added that the state government has a zero tolerance for examination malpractice.

    He called on Principals in the state not to collect any money from any candidate that would write the SSCE Examination now that government has taken care of all required expenses.

  • Ishaku: My first term was foundation laying stage

    Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, has described his first term in office as “a foundation laying stage,” saying he needs a second term to complete all that he started.

    After a successful campaign tour of Southern Taraba -his political district, Ishaku stated at the weekend that he was confident of sweeping the gubernatorial poll on March 2.

    The tour in southern Taraba took him to Ussa, Ibi, Wukari and Donga local government areas. He rounded up in Takum -his country home, where he told supporters he was thanking them ahead of the Election Day.

    He said he knows the people would re-elect him, because anywhere he stopped over to campaign, the people gave him the assurance that he was their choice.

    The rallies were done in open fields and in town-halls -in the form of meetings -to brainstorm on a strategy that would bring victory at the poll. Ishaku’s campaign team has adopted a strategy called: “Operation Win Your Polling Unit (OWYPU)” by all his influential stakeholders.

    During the campaigns, the people expressed appreciations for the numerous projects the Ishaku administration has provided, drawing the governor’s attention to what they expect him to do during his second term, if he wins.

    It was also an opportunity for the governor to talk about his achievements -the reason, he said, should be considered for him to return.

    Ishaku told the people his “Rescue Mission” has been a success story that has put Taraba state on a path to sustainable development.”

    “My rescue programme in education has raised WAEC performance of students in the state from below 20 percent in 2015 to 67.3 percent in 2017 and 75.3 percent in 2018.

    “My water projects, which include the Jalingo Primary Water Source, was designed to meet the needs of the city till 2035.

    “I sank 250 boreholes in 250 communities; I took safe drinking water to virtually all the communities in the state.”

    Ishaku added that the construction of numerous township roads and highways  and the completion of the Jalingo Airport and launch of commercial flight have eased movement in and out of the state and as well encouraged the coming of investors.

    “The main plank of the Rescue Mission in the health sector was the reconstruction and re-equipping of three general hospitals in Wukari, Gembu and Bambur with state of the art facilities. The Wukari hospital has been commissioned while the other two are soon to be completed.

    “We created more than 10,000 jobs through the skills acquisition programme executed separately by me and my wife, under her Hope Afresh Foundation.

    “We employed 3,000 teachers under the rescue teachers programme, revived seven government owned companies which when I took over, were in comatose.

    “I urge you to see these achievements as just the foundation-laying stage of the services I intended to deliver to Taraba state.

    “Reelect me so that the job I already started would be completed,” he said.

  • When WAEC unveils the mask

    SIR, In 1952, little might have been envisaged about WAEC and its prospects, but time and recent history are irrepressible markers that the noble examining body was, indeed, rightly conceived. In its vision statement, it hopes to provide qualitative and reliable educational assessment; and encourage academic excellence among others. Has WAEC been fulfilling this visionary mandate? May be? May be not? While you are ruminating on your take, I had better pose a second question. Has WAEC been unveiling the mask? To this, I say, absolutely!

    In Nigeria, students are to observe 12 weeks or so in school marking the exit of a term. At the sixth week or thereabouts, the students are subjected to a test – a mid-term test to assess their performance, ascertain their readiness for the ultimate examination and possibly take an action to salvage the would- be examination victims and casualties. Like the sixth week, like the twelfth week, students are to sit the end-of-the-term examination, which possibly may launch them to the next class, in the case of a terminal term-third term.

    Now, let’s hit it! Parents, especially, the curious ones not necessarily the educated ones look forward to the grades and teachers’ comments on their children’s report card as they call it. A flood of Bs and Cs dance graciously on the card, perhaps, with one or two recalcitrant Ds. To the unsuspecting parents, the child’s performance has been duly reflected on the card. Most times, the grades are teacher-made.

    The school has an image to protect, the school administrator has the teeming population to protect, the teacher has his job to protect, since good jobs are scarce, perhaps everywhere or where I live; parents have got their pride and ego to protect: I can’t take it, what do you mean by that, please withdraw that advice-he can’t repeat; the child has got his esteem to protect-I will rather change schools.

    Did you see how egocentrism and short-termism have forced us to the table of manipulation and pretence? Here we are colluding to promote the underperformers. If the future rests on the foundation, then, why destroy their future through the teacher-made grades or everyone-made grades. Let them repeat! Repeat is not negative or innocuous altogether. Repeat is not a setback. It is, if correctly understood, an opportune event to set you up in order to fetch out the legend in you.

    With WAEC, the mask is unveiled though, not aggregately as malpractice is still around to re-mask their true competence. Most parents woke up to the reality of the pseudo grades and teacher-made grades that their children have paraded for five years or God-knows-when. Should we promote or continue to promote students that are not eligible for the next level? Why top up their grades? Why defy that counsel that requires him to repeat? Why pretend the grades are yours? Why are we all silent in the face of teacher-made grades? Let them repeat. If I had missed out any salient point that this piece should have featured, I am greatly sure, it would be…let them repeat until they prove their eligibility for the next class. May the sleeping giant awake in them as they repeat to kindle it.

     

    • Ogunnaike, Samuel,  Lagos.

  • President Buhari, WAEC and PDP’s toxic air

    The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, Friday, said the controversy concerning President Muhammadu Buhari’s school certificate is embarrassing and felt a sense of duty to produce and deliver to him a confirmation and attestation of his results, in form of a duplicate certificate.

    This is a god-sent, with WAEC being a non-political entity. This should put to rest the absurd allegations by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, brought up again and again, that he did not attend a secondary school.

    The unreasonable position of the PDP had been sustained all along in spite of testimony by classmates who read with him in school and graduated together, and that fact that a court of law had given a ruling on the matter.

    In 2014-2015 when they raked up the issue, I remember that it took the courage of the then college Principal to issue a statement of results from available records. In doing so, he defied the ruling PDP government in the state which asked him not to.

    At the time we got the results sheet, reports said that the government had determined to send arsonists to burn the school to ashes so that the existing records will be obliterated.

    This was against the backdrop of the shocking claim by the Army Records office in Lokoja, that they didn’t keep any records of General Buhari as a military officer.

    Curiously, the Army Records office had once come under Muhammadu Buhari, as Military Secretary who, during his tenure streamlined the records of the entire officer corps, and could not, by any stretch of imagination, have left his own records in a mess. General Alani Akinrinade (Rtd) reportedly dismissed this mischief as an insult to the military.

    After doing his conscience’s duty by daringly releasing those results, the then government of Katsina State punished the Principal by stripping him of his seniority and posting.

    As we said in a number of past statements, the matter of the President’s qualification to run for office is a non-issue, nonetheless feasted upon by the PDP which has stopped thinking and have nothing to offer to Nigerians.

    Based on arguments that “education gives a human being the power to discriminate between right and wrong,” the 1999 Constitution stipulates a minimum educational qualification for citizens who intend to contest for elections at all levels, which requires that they must possess a secondary school education or its equivalent. The provision above has itself come under serious re-examination by scholars who argue that the possession of a secondary school certification does not necessarily mean that a person is intelligent.

    It is equally argued that it is a mistake to assume that a person with a certificate has higher knowledge or intelligence than the one who doesn’t have. In an article published by the Daily Trust a day or so ago, Professor Shehu Zuru quoted Wendy Sherman, the author of the book Not For The Faint Heart, that “courage and integrity are critical attributes that you cannot acquire from a classroom because they are the inert fabrics of human conscience that dictates the power of the negative and the power of the positive.” As far as his educational career is concerned, President Buhari attended the Katsina Provincial Secondary School, before enrolling in the Nigerian Military Training College, NMTC Kaduna (1962), renamed Nigerian Defence Academy, in 1964. As narrated by Major-General Sani Saleh (Rtd), “I worked at the Nigerian Defence Academy so I know the processes. You cannot get in with a forged certificate, it is impossible.

    “At the time (Muhammadu Buhari enrolled), the army was still controlled by the British…Nigerian Army was a select and (an) elite organization, we had very few Army Officers at that time. I don’t think the whole Nigerian Army Officers were up to 50. You can imagine what it takes for you as a Nigerian to be one of those…and today, somebody will be accusing you that you don’t have a certificate.” From NMTC, Muhammadu Buhari went to the Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, United Kingdom (1962-63), the Defence Services Staff College, India (1973) and thereafter, United States Army War College, which upon completion, awarded its graduates a Master’s degree in strategic studies. In the belief that the nation has the right to know the educational details of their president, Candidate Muhammadu Buhari laid bare everything and tendered an affidavit in respect of the WAEC certificate. The masquerades wielding the real power behind the PDP, some of whom played an active part in his overthrow as military Head of State in the mid-eighties are deliberate in keeping this issue alive. As a thoroughbred, toughened general, he won’t cry out that his home and office were vandalized by scoopers when they threw him out of power.

    In meeting the eligibility for the contest in 2015, President Buhari presented the WAEC results and the other degree and non-degree related results. He went through the verification process in the party, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the court. He ran and won against the PDP. With these, the unnecessary controversy should have ended. It is equally hard to fathom how such a dead issue should get the type of attention given it by the media, considering the many matters of serious concern to the citizens – internal security that was given a short shrift for 16 years by the PDP; the diversification of the economy by focusing on key sectors (apart from oil) that can create jobs and generate revenue such as Agriculture, Solid Minerals and Manufacturing which the Buhari administration is keenly doing; the ongoing pursuit of more reforms and better governance; bolstered efforts towards poverty alleviation; ending corruption and insurgency and ploughing the savings therefrom to put in place needed infrastructure and so forth.

    Do they know that Nigeria Airways, NITEL and other pensioners they left in the cold, unpaid when they sold public assets to cronies or to themselves are getting their dues under this dispensation? If these things had been done when the oil price was as high as US$140 per barrel, Nigeria would not be in the current predicament. We would not have suffered when we had no cash reserves but we had regular supply of power, a good rail system, good roads and good housing. These are the issues dear to the hearts of our people. In its political fight for 2019, the PDP is not relying on the big issues of the day -security, corruption and jobs but on small, distractive matters that take little or no account of national interest. But what do you expect of a group that has stopped thinking, just blowing hot, toxic air, indulging in divisive politics and is raking up sectional issues so that the people will forget the real issues of corruption, infrastructure, security and economy for which they have no plans?

  • NGO provides educational support to girls in Kaduna

    A Kaduna-based Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI) says it will provide education subsidy to girls.

    It said that the subsidy would be given to the girls in public secondary schools to promote their retention and completion rate in Kaduna State.

    Miss Bilkisu Gwabin, EWEI’s Finance and Supplies Officer, made this known in Kaduna on Thursday, at the opening of a one-day Empowerment Seminar for 10 new beneficiaries.

    Gwabin explained that the support, under the NGO’s Educational Subsidy Programme (ESP), supported by Inti Raymi Fund, was designed to assist the students with fees, uniforms, and learning materials.

    According to her, the goal is to improve retention and completion rates of female students in public schools to enable them to acquire basic education and live a quality life in future.

    “The beneficiaries also benefit from EWEI’s empowerment seminar where young girls are equipped with productive life tips and income generating skills’’.

    Mr Babatunde Ajiga, EWEI’s Board of Trustee Secretary, explained that 13 girls had benefited from the programme from 2008 to 2017.

    According to him, 40 per cent of Nigerian children from six to 11 years of age are not in school, adding that EWEI’s programme was to support the education of intelligent girls from poor families.

    Mrs Grace Attah the NGO’s Programme Officer, Organisational Development and Learning, said that the beneficiaries were selected based on needs, ethnicity and religion.

    Attah explained that 10 new beneficiaries were selected to benefits in 2018, from Government Girls Secondary School, Doka, Government Secondary School, Television and Government Secondary School, Barnawa.

    Also speaking, Safiya Garba, the Founder and the programme Director of the NGO, commended the Kaduna State Government for taking steps to provide free education to girls in the state.

    “Although we do not know what it would cover and for how long, we nonetheless, want to ensure that we prepare secondary school girls and equip them with income generating skills to support their tertiary education.

    “We provide long term support to the girls up to the end of secondary school and provide additional six months life skills support as intern in EWEI, to develop their leadership capacity.

    “What we expect in return is for the girls to do well in school,” she said.

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    Garba called on parents of the beneficiaries for support to ensure that the girls’ study hard and grow up to be leaders in their homes, their communities and the nation at large.

    “Let’s work together to ensure they all finished secondary school and excel beyond.”

    Mr David McGrain of Inti Raymi Fund expressed joy that the fund had helped put a smile on young girls’ lives and pledged to do more.

    McGrain told the beneficiaries that they could do anything in life if they remained focus.

    One of the beneficiaries, 20-year old Jessica David, said she had been a beneficiary since 2014, describing the support as a life changer that had added value to her life.

    “Besides taking care of my educational financing and providing the needed learning materials, the NGO had equally equipped me with income generating skills which is helping me take care of my financial needs.

    “EWEI also enlightened me on my rights as a lady and how to set long term goals for a meaningful future, and thanks to them. I am soaring higher and higher to my goals,” David said.

    Another beneficiary, Mary Ayantokun, 19, said that EWEI paid her school fees from junior secondary school until she graduated from secondary school.

    “EWEI paid my fees for WAEC, NECO and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board examinations. I am so thankful to this life-changing support.

    “Not only that, I have learned several income generating skills like beads and cake making and other self -reliant skills that are helping me meet my financial needs.”

  • Delta seeks pact with WAEC on quality

    Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Chiedu Ebie, has assured of government’s commitment to partner with relevant stakeholders in the collective goal of providing standard education to the Nigerian child.

    Ebie made this known during the West African Examination Council (WAEC) meeting, held in Asaba, Delta State.

    Ebie, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Comrade Samuel Dietake, said the forum would offer stakeholders an opportunity to review the conduct of the last West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for candidates in the state, with a view to appraising their performance and proffering appropriate recommendations that may enhance more credible and improved conduct of examinations in future.

    He called for synergy between his ministry and WAEC authorities in selecting and appointing credible supervisors for the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, which he said would assist significantly in reducing incidences of examination malpractice to the barest minimum.

    Earlier, Director of Examinations and Standards in the ministry, Dr Moses Bragiwa, said the essence of the meeting  was to analyse critically and brainstorm on how to conduct credible examinations in the state, as well as proffer solutions in curbing the incidences of examination malpractice in WASSCE.

  • FG to commence N5000 cash transfer through NIPOST

    The Federal government said it would soon commence the payment of N5000 to vulnerable poor Nigerians in three states,  using the newly introduced financial services  of  the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) for the cash transfer .

    The government said the package is  under the present administration’s  social welfare programme to help the  poor and the needy in the society .

    Under the new contract, NIPOST is expected  to dispense the N5,000 cash to the poor in three states including Nasarawa, Benue and Anambra .

    The Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of NIPOST , Barrister Bisi Adegbuyi made the disclosure  in Oyo town at the occasion of 2018 World Post Day celebration.

    He said NIPOST was able to win the contract due to its innovative programme and use of technology to advance its services to the people across the country.

    He said ” For instance, the National Cash Transfer Office which caters for the vulnerable, the poor  in the society awarded NIPOST the job to transfer cash to the poor . They give them N5000, every month, and because NIPOST has transformed and leveraging on technology , we were  awarded  the cash disposal of N5000 in Benue, Nasarawa and Anambra . Who are we serving , we are serving the poor , the post is ready to deliver the goods to bring happiness .”

    Present at the celebration are the Alaafin of Oyo , Oba Lamidi Adeyemi represented by the retired archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria,  Ayo Ladigbolu , the Postmaster of the Federation, Barrister Bisi Adegbuyi, the Managing Director of Wema  Bank, Mr. Ademola Adebise , former Chairman of First Bank PLC, Rev. Akinboboye, NIPOST Zonal Manager , Mrs Ekeleme Kristie and Vice Chairman, Oyo East Local Government, Hon. Wahab Tajudeen .

    Others included top security chiefs, school children, artisans and officials of Wema Bank and Keystone bank.

    The Postmaster General in his speech informed the gathering that the present administration led by President Mohammadu Buhari has embarked on people oriented programme to improve the social welfare of the vulnerable poor in the country.

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    Speaking further on the 2018 World  Post Day with the theme ” The Post: Delivering good to the world” , Adegbuyi said ”  Its not just a question of NIPOST alone World Post Day is celebrated in 192 countries that belong to Universal Postal Union to bring to the fore the achievement of Post in the past year the agenda they have set for them in terms of renovation and all the likes.”

    He further disclosed that NIPOST in its transformation drive has commenced financial services and e-banking to bring financial services to the rural people across the country.

    ”  But why we are here today is to flag off our agency banking in partnership with We a bank and Keystone bank. What is agency banking? It is aimed at bringing basic financial services to the people in semi urban areas and rural area. The financially excluded, the un-banked , the under- bank . They have been estimated to be around 41 percent of adults in Nigeria .

    ” It is also in line with the sustainable development goals of the United Nations . Governance is not for the rich but for the poor who live in the rural areas . Our people , artisans, women, men, laborers and others should have access to basic financial banking services.We are here to demonstrate to Nigerians that NIPOST has moved beyond mere letter delivery . We are going to financial services, you members of the press have seen it when we demonstrated account opening procedure where you can paid in deposit , you can do withdraw, how you can pay utility bills ,WAEC, NECO .

    “We also demonstrated that our E-money is ready. We must leverage on technology that trendy everywhere, that is enabling Post Offices who are ready to subscribe to 21st century postal administration.
    We are just flagging it off . This is the first location , we will move from one location to the other . Nigeria is a massive country with 180million people . Its a gradual process,” he said.

    Earlier, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi commended NIPOST for its giant strides in recent years, describing the event as very significant in the history of the agency.

    Speaking through his representative , Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu , Oba Adeyemi said NIPOST has remained the only agency that has continued to connect the people , facilitating communication and enabling the people to stay in touch.

    ” But it has gone beyond that limit , today your money is save if you send it through NIPOST . It is a great pleasure to continue to identify and relate with NIPOST ,” the royal father said.

  • WAEC to ‘do the needful’ on Adeleke

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said it is working on the court order to provide Adeleke’s result.

    Head of Public Affairs for WAEC, Mr Demianus Ojijeogu, told The Nation on phone that the council had received the request.

    He said: “Those that should receive it have received it and are already working on it. WAEC is a law-abiding institution and would do the needful. We will obey the court order.”