Tag: WAEC

The Coalition of Southeast Youth Leaders (COSEYL) on Wednesday, May 29, condemned any plans to disrupt the West African Examination Council (WAEC) mathematics exam scheduled for Thursday, May 30, in the southeast region.

Comrade Goodluck Ibem, President General of COSEYL said it’s the height of insensitivity for anyone to disrupt WAEC exams in the southeast.

He said: “This exam is an international exam that cuts across many countries, and it will be gross insensitivity and an act of wickedness to stop our students from writing their exams.”

“Over 300,000 students from the Southeast region are expected to write the mathematics exam, and COSEYL has urged the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to cancel any plans that may derail the exam.

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“The West African Examination Council board has made it clear that they will not postpone or shift the date of the mathematics exam, and any attempt by any individual or group to stop our students from writing their exams, which other Nigerians from other parts of the country are writing, amounts to the wickedness of the highest order.”

COSEYL emphasised that the emancipation of the Southeast people does not include stopping students from writing their exams.

“We have to be wise,” Comrade Ibem added.

The group called on IPOB to prioritize the future of the students and allow them to write their exams without any disruption.

“Southeast WAEC students should not be disturbed from writing their exams. This exam is their future,” Comrade Ibem said.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said candidates for the November West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will have the option of choosing between Computer-Based Tests (CBT) and Paper-Based Tests.

The Head of the council’s National Office (HNO) in Nigeria, Dr. Amos Dangut, announced this yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while monitoring the ongoing WASSCE along with some principal officers of the council.

He said the examination body had successfully conducted the first edition of the computer-based WASSCE, also called CB-WASSCE in January/February.

According to him, private candidates writing WASSCE in November will have the opportunity of choosing between CB-WASSCE and paper-based test.

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“The examination, held in January and February, yielded better performance, compared to the previous year, with a significant decrease in malpractices from five per cent to 0.8 per cent.

“We are now gearing up for the upcoming private candidates’ examination in October and November, offering candidates the choice between the traditional pen and paper and the computer-based method,” Dangut said.

The HNO explained that the initiative was aimed at expanding computer-based examination to rural areas.

“It’s part of our plans to eventually implement computer-based examinations for all schools, in collaboration with the Federal Government and other stakeholders.

“We are also working on providing necessary facilities and training for schools to facilitate this transition,” he said.

The WAEC chief said contrary to what sceptics were saying, the transition to CBT method was a success and had reduced malpractices rate significantly.

“In any case, the world is already moving technologically. We also, as part of the global community, must ensure that we move along.

“And we can only do that by equipping our schools, getting the candidates prepared to face what lies ahead of them,” Dangut said.

Expressing satisfaction with the monitoring of WASSCE in some schools in Ibadan, the HNO lauded the calm and confident demeanour of the candidates and the conducive examination environment.

“It is my goal to maintain high standards across all schools to ensure fair comparisons of performance,” he said.

Dangut said he was pleased to see the use of metal detectors and closed-circuit television (CCTV) in some schools, expressing the hope that such practices were widespread.

Also, the National President of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools of Nigeria (ANCOPSS), Mr. Muhammad Musa, said the monitoring was an indication that the examination body was proactive.

“WAEC’s goal is to ensure credible and malpractice-free examination, and today’s experience reflects positively on public schools’ efforts.

“Teachers and students alike appear well-prepared, exuding confidence despite our presence,” he said.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said that approximately 1.8 million candidates are expected to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 30 and end on Monday, June 24, 2024.

A statement by Head of Nigeria National Office, Dr Josiah Dangut noted that candidates from 22,229 schools registered for the examination, adding that 902,328 males and 912,016 females’ registration reflected an increase compared to last year.

Dangut said in line with the directive of the Federal Government, the National Identification Number (NIN) was made a component of the registration process.

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The WAEC boss said extra security arrangements had been made in volatile areas with the council liaising with Police and state governments to provide adequate security.

He warned candidates and schools against examination malpractice, adding that erring candidates, supervisors and schools would be duly sanctioned.

Dangut added that the council had rolled out several awareness campaigns nationwide, and organised seminars for school proprietors, principals, students and other key stakeholders, to sensitize them on the immediate and long-term effects of examination malpractice.

He said results will be released 45 days after the conduct of the last paper, while certificates will be printed and issued to schools in less than 90 days after the release of results, adding that results will be released along with the digital copies of candidates’ certificates, which can be accessed on the Digital Certificate platform.

…as 30% passes with five credit

Thirty percent of candidates who sat the first-ever Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB- WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2024–First Series obtained credits in five subjects, including English and Mathematics.

This was contained in a statement on Friday, March 22, signed by Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina for Head of National Office, Dr Josiah Dangut.

WAEC said the percentage of candidates in this category in WASSCE for private candidates, 2022 and 2023 – First Series, that is, those who obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, stood at 26.32 percent and 23.99 percent respectively.

The exam body said there is a marginal increase of 6.96 percent in performance.

It noted that a total of 8,139 candidates sat the examination which held between Wednesday, January 31 and Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 140 CBT centres nationwide.

The examination body said candidates representing 42.07 percent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects with or without English Language and/or Mathematics.

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WAEC stated that the results of sixty-five candidates, representing 0.80 percent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld as a result of examination malpractice.

It added that the reported cases of 413 candidates recorded for WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2023-First Series showed that the method of examination administration drastically reduced examination malpractices.

WAEC said: “Candidates may check their results by visiting www.waecdirect.org to ascertain their status before visiting the Digital Certificate platform (www.waec.org) to access the digital copies of their certificates, which have been released along with their results. Candidates will be required to apply for the printing of the hard copies of their certificates online, through the WAEC Certificate Request Portal (e-Certman). The portal address is https://certrequest.waec.ng/.”

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has delisted some secondary schools in Abia state from participating in the regional body’s exams for involving in examination malpractice.

Commissioner for Education, Professor Uche Eme Uche, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Umuahia, the state capital, said that the state had just been informed by the exam body about the ugly development.

Although she failed to disclose the affected schools, the commissioner stated that most of the schools affected were private schools.

The commissioner, who frowned at any act capable of tarnishing the image of the state, said the operational licences of the affected schools would be withdrawn as a deterrent to others.

She explained that the state supported the action by WAEC as it would help halt the bastardization and lowering of academic standards in schools by some dubious operators.

Professor Uche said that the state had previously shut down some of the affected schools due to their unwholesome practices, regretting that instead of heeding the warnings, they continued to cut corners.

Speaking earlier, the commissioner for information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed that the governor of the state, Dr. Alex had approved the immediate renovation of 170 primary and 51 public secondary schools across the state.

He said ten primary and three secondary schools would be selected from each of the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.

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The renovation, according to him, is to give a facelift to public schools in the state and make them conducive and attractive for learning.

He explained that this was in addition to the six model schools currently being established in the three senatorial districts.

The government spokesman further disclosed that the governor had also approved the disbursement of N62 million in bursaries to Abia law undergraduates in different tertiary institutions across the country.

This, he said, was to assist them following the increase in their fees and cost of training amid the biting economic hardship.

On the schools’ renovation, the commissioner for education said each of the benefiting schools would have staff quarters, a Head teacher’ house, and a caretaker’s house to ensure water-tight security of the school property.

The gesture, according to her, is a demonstration of the high premium that the Otti-led administration attaches to education as the cornerstone of any society.

She said that the state government had resolved to revive and promote education in the state, adding that the renovation will be done in phases until all public schools in the state have received a facelift.