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Tag: West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)

  • Ekiti teachers back Fayemi”s order stopping ‘illegal’ school fees

    The Ekiti State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed support to the Executive Order 001 prohibiting the collection of unauthorized fee by head teachers and principals of public schools.
    Describing the order as a step in right direction, the union commended the state government for payment of West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration of students in public secondary schools in the State.
    The Chairman of NUT, Ekiti State Wing, Mr. Samuel Olugbesan who led other executive members on a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi in his office in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, explained that their visit was to open up channel of communication on ways to further improve the quality and standard of education in Ekiti.
    Assuring the state government of the union’s readiness to support and partner the government in moving education forward, Olugbesan sought for the consultation of stakeholders in the education sector in arriving at policies and decisions affecting teachers in the State.
    According to Olugbesan: “Your Excellency, let me hasten to point out that NUT wholeheartedly support the government position on certain issues as it concerns the running of schools in Ekiti State through Executive Order 001. It is a right step in right direction.
    “Your Excellency, we may not be able to hide our feelings to declare that much would be achieved and accomplished in the field of education by your government to the glory of your great party, if NUT as a legitimate Trade Union of Teachers in both primary, secondary and technical colleges in Ekiti State are not only given adequate recognition, concerns it deserves, but also be involved along with others agencies of education in policies and decisions in the field of education, all in a bid to sustain and improve on industrial harmony existing in the field of education in Ekiti State.
    “Your Excellency, we want to thank this government for payment of WAEC registration fee of students in public secondary schools in Ekiti State.”
    Responding, Egbeyemi tasked the union on diligence and strict adherence to government order.

    Read Also: Ekiti raises panel on fresh recruitment

    The deputy governor, himself a former teacher, reassured that the government had no intention of laying off any of the teachers in the State.
    Egbeyemi said making payment of workers salary was on the priority list of Fayemi led administration.
    He said: “Most of you are saying we are going to lay you off, have we laid anybody off ever since we assumed duty?
    “Do your work diligently and keep to government order. I will not be party to chasing anyone away from service. As long as you comply to government orders nothing shall touch you.
    “We will make teachers’ and other workers’ salary a priority. We must develop people before developing infrastructure.”

  • WAEC to candidates: Beware of fraudsters

     The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has cautioned candidates in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) against fraudsters, who are bent on jeopardizing the performance of the examination.

    Mr Demianus Ojijeogu, Head of Public Affairs, WAEC, gave the warning in a statement in Abuja.

    He said the attention of the council had been drawn to the recent activities of these fraudsters.

    Ojijeogu said the past questions were being posted through some social media platforms by the fraudsters claiming that “they are the papers to be written by candidates.”

    Read Also: WAEC boss elected VP of assessment body

    The attention of WAEC has been drawn to the activities of fraudsters that are capable of jeopardizing the performance of gullible candidates in the ongoing WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2018-Second Series in Nigeria.

    “The council has observed with dismay that past questions are being posted via WhatsApp and criminal websites by fraudulent individuals, which they claim are that of yet to be written papers.

    “For instance, the question paper for Principles of Cost Accounting that was written in Sierra Leone and Gambia on Thursday (today) are being circulated by these criminally-minded elements.

    “ The paper is circulated for candidates in Nigeria as Financial Accounting, slated for tomorrow (Friday).

    “The success of our candidates is our major concern and the council wishes to advise all candidates not to fall prey to these fraudsters but rather concentrate on their studies.’

  • WASSCE: WAEC compiles list of erring supervisors for sanctions

    The West African Examinations Council ( WAEC ) is compiling names of supervisors who worked against the ongoing May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination ( WASSCE ), for sanctions by relevant authorities.

    The council’s Head of Public Affairs Unit, Mr Damianus Ojijeogum, made the disclosure in an interview with the newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.
    According to him, investigations revealed that the supervisor’s photo-shopped previous examination papers and forwarded same to operators of rogue websites, who in turn, swindled gullible candidates.

    “Our investigations also revealed that some school heads, invigilators, supervisors and candidates who succeeded in smuggling mobile phones and other electronic devices into examination halls, snapped the questions after the examination had commenced, and forwarded same to their collaborators for solutions.

    “We have been compiling a list of all supervisors found wanting; at the end of the entire exercise, we shall forward their names to ANCORPS and the ministry of education for proper disciplinary measures.

    “Such persons are not staff of WAEC; we shall blacklist them for good,” Ojijeogu said.

    He said that `this cheating by any means’ could be described as examination leakage as being reported by some mass media.

    “Question papers for the ongoing WASSCE did not leak as has been erroneously portrayed by a section of the media.

    “Leakage can be said to have occurred when questions get into the hands of some individuals who are not supposed to have them before the scheduled time.

    “No such case has been established since the commencement of this examination.

    “Rather than term it as leakage, it is correct to describe it as malpractice which we are committed to tackling.

    “We want to assure the general public that the integrity of our examination is a top priority to the council, and we remain committed in ensuring that it remains so,” he said.

    Read Also: WASSCE papers didn’t leak, says WAEC

    Ojijeogu told the newsmen that WAEC was deploying resources to introduce new techniques to protect its examinations.

    “We are all aware that one of the greatest challenges facing the education sector is examination malpractice.

    “On our part, we shall continue to do all we can to ensure that this ugly trend is checked.

    “We want to commend security agencies, especially the police, for partnering with us in an effort to expose and check the cankerworm,” he said.

    Ojijeogu told the newsmen that such partnership led to arrest of some men in Lagos found to be operating the rogue websites to defraud unsuspecting candidates.

    He added that the collaboration assisted the council to apprehend a syndicate at various locations in 2017.

    Ojijeogu solicited more support from members of the public to rid the education sector of examination malpractice.

    “Council will always be ahead in deploying cutting edge technologies that will defy malpractice no matter how hard the perpetrators try.

    “We will not compromise standards because we have come a long way; our integrity is key,” he said.

    NAN

  • WAEC withholds 1,021 results from 1st diet of 2018 WASSCE

    The West African Examinations Council ( WAEC ) on Tuesday announced the release of its January/February series of the 2018 West African Senior School Certificate Examination ( WASSCE ).

    Mr Olu Adenipekun, the council’s Head of National Office ( HNO ), who announced the release in Lagos, said results of 1,021 candidates were, however, withheld.

    The approval to introduce and conduct the additional diet in the country and other national offices of the five-member countries was given at the council’s 65th annual general meeting in March 2017.

    The introduction of the series for Private candidates, brings to the three, the number of examinations conducted by the council each year.

    According to Adenipekun, the WAEC results were withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice by the affected candidates.

    He said the cases were being investigated and that reports of the investigations would be presented to the appropriate committee of the council in due course, for consideration.

    “The committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates,’’ Adenipekun said.

    According to him, 11,721 candidates registered for the examination, while 11,307 actually sat for the test.

    Giving a breakdown of statistics of candidates’ performance at the examination, the HNO said that 8,113 candidates obtained credits and above in two subjects.

    He noted that 6,375 others obtained credits and above in three subjects, while 4,762 candidates obtained credits and above in four subjects.

    Adenipekun also said that 3,263 candidates obtained credits and above in five subjects, while 2,010 others obtained credits and above in six subjects.

    “A total 1,937 candidates, representing 17.13 per cent, obtained the minimum of credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

    “The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE in 2017 was 26.01 per cent.

    “From the statistics of performance, it is safe to say that candidates performance is not satisfactory, compared to what obtained in the same diet for private candidates in 2016 and 2017.

    “We, therefore, wish to plead with candidates to take this examination seriously,’’ he said.

    The HNO, however, expressed satisfaction at the response of Nigerians to the newly-introduced diet.

    He added that it was encouraging and would propel the council to expand to more cities and towns.

    Adenipekun said the introduction of the diet would also stem the tendency by some candidates to get involved in examination malpractice.

    He explained that the additional diet for private candidates was part of council’s contributions to the efforts of governments at all levels to expand the educational opportunities in the West African sub-region.

    Adenipekun urged candidates who sat for the examination to check the details of their performance on the council’s results website.

    NAN

  • WAEC pledges collaboration on prisoners’ access to education

    WAEC pledges collaboration on prisoners’ access to education

    The West African Examinations Council ( WAEC ) says it will always partner relevant organisations to assist prison inmates to have easy access to education.

    The council’s Head of National Office ( HNO ), Mr. Olutise Adenipekun, said on Wednesday that such collaboration would enhance the inmates’ transformation and development.

    Adenipekun was speaking against the backdrop of the need to encourage educational pursuit in prisons nationwide.

    He said such pursuit would  assist the inmates to achieve life-long learning irrespective of where they found themselves.

    Read also: WAEC  official dies in hotel bathroom

    According to the WAEC boss, there is life after prison and, therefore, the need to encourage the inmates to acquire education.

    “Education in the prisons is an area I am passionate about as a key stakeholder in the education sector.

    “If anyone should find himself or herself behind the bars, that does not mean the end of the world for such.

    “So, WAEC as an organisation, has brought into the vision that behind the bars life must continue.

    “Because after getting out of prison, they still come back to the society to carry on with normal life.

    “That is why we should partner those organisations that may want to assist the inmates to access education and other external examinations such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination ( WASSCE ) for private candidates,’’ he said.

    Adenipekun added that the council would continue to partner the various prison commands on the need for them to establish examination centres located within prison facilities with education officers attached to them.

    He noted that the education officers had been working in collaboration with the council across the country.

    “So, we are prepared to continue to inspect and give approval to more examination centres in prison facilities to train and teach inmates to be able to write our examinations as private candidates,’’ Adenipekun said.

    NAN

  • Examination Malpractice: Committee lauds WAEC, ministries over sanctions

    Examination Malpractice: Committee lauds WAEC, ministries over sanctions

    The National Examination Committee ( NEC ) on Thursday in Lagos lauded West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for networking with state ministries of education nationwide in to stem examination malpractice.

    The committee after its 64th meeting, particularly commended the collaborative efforts to identify and carry out disciplinary actions against perpetrators of examination malpractice.

    NEC said such disciplinary actions were also carried out on supervisors and invigilators who aided and abetted examination malpractice during the 2017 West African Senior School Certificate Examination ( WASSCE ) for School Candidates.

    “The council noted the recurring cases of returned certificates, where candidates willingly made confessional statements to the effect that they were impersonated,’’ it said its communique made available to our souce.

    The communique by Mr Damianus Ojijeogu, Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, said the committee received a report on irregularity, special and clemency cases arising from the conduct of the 2016 WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2016.

    It that in the course of considering the various reported cases of malpractice, the committee, after diligent deliberations, approved appropriate sanctions in all established cases of malpractice.

    This, it said, will be carried out as prescribed by the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the council’s examinations.

    “ It approved that the entire results of candidates involved in proven cases, which attract Cancellation of Entire Results (CER) be cancelled, while subject results of those involved in proven cases, which attracts Cancellation of Subject Results (CSR) be similarly cancelled.

    “Some candidates will also suffer other sanctions such as barring them from sitting for the council’s examinations for a certain number of years, while some schools will have WAEC recognition withdrawn or de-recognised for a specified number of years.

    “The decisions of the committee will be implemented without delay and the affected candidates and schools duly informed by the council.

    “However, the results of candidates who were exonerated by the committee will be released,’’ the communique said.

    “Council agreed that apart from the National Universities Commission ( NUC ), details of such candidates such as examination numbers, certificate numbers and years of examination, should be made available to the National Board for Technical Education ( NBTE ).

    “It should also be made available to the National Commission for Colleges of Education ( NCCE ) and posted on the council’s corporate website as well as published in national dailies twice a year.

    “The committee, therefore, commended WAEC for liaising with the Ministries of Education in the states of the federation to identify and carry out disciplinary actions against such Supervisors and Invigilators for their roles in such shameful acts.’’

    On the issue of appointment and deployment of supervisors during the conduct of the WASSCE, the committee advised that WAEC should continue with the practice of swapping supervisors during its examinations.

    It added that such swapping should be monitored to ensure that supervisors do not connive with school authorities and staff of WAEC to compromise the process.

    The committee is the highest decision-making organ of WAEC on examination-related matters in Nigeria.

    It meets twice a year to consider matters relating to the conduct of the WASSCE for both the school and private candidates.

    NAN

  • WAEC to re-introduce e-marking for tests

    WAEC to re-introduce e-marking for tests

    In an effort to broaden its scope, the West African Examinations Council ( WAEC ) International Office (WIO) in Lagos, says it was set to re-introduce electronic marking for its tests.

    The Head of the Office, Mr Adelowo Maliki, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

    According to him, the marking before now was done with some foreign partners based in the United Kingdom.

    “We started this electronic marking in 2014 through to 2015, only for us to suspend it in 2016, due to high costs as regards the high exchange rate.

    “But now, we are set to bring it back as we have gotten all necessary approvals from the council’s committee meetings and the council itself.

    “This led to our trying to develop our own in-house and by the grace of God, the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination ( WASSCE ) for private candidates would be marked electronically.

    “However, we will not be marking all the subjects through this mode, just some selected ones.

    “So as soon as this examination is concluded, we will kick start marking electronically,’’ he said.

    According to him, such mode of marking would further ensure test realiability.

    “Here, you can be sure that if two people mark the same paper, they will arrive at the same scoring.

    “So it will increase test reliability, which means that even for different people, there will be little or no deviation from what they awarded because this one is electronically done and if you are not doing it according to laid down rules, it shuts you off automatically on its own.

    “At that point, you realise you are not doing the right thing and so if every paper can be done electronically, it is going to be the best,’’ Maliki explained.

    He added that the marking mode was actually the best but costly.

    Maliki, however, noted that gradually, the office intends to spread the marking mode across all subjects and papers.

    “When we do some papers and discover we are able to absorb the costs, we will increase and with time, maybe as we are doing it and getting results, government may also want to invest in and be part of it,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that the county’s Head, National Office of WAEC, Mr Olu Adenipekun, had, at a news conference in Lagos, announced that the council would commence the conduct of the WASSCE for private candidates twice a year, with effect from 2018.

  • Stop buying smart phones for your children – Clergy

    Stop buying smart phones for your children – Clergy

    Most Rev. Charles Hammawa, the Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese, has advised parents to stop buying smart phones for school children because of their negative effects on children.

    Hammawa gave the advice on Monday at the graduation ceremony of Our Lady of Consolation Girl’s Secondary School, Jalingo.

    He expressed concern at the alarming rate at which students were now using social media, describing the situation as impending disaster for the nation’s educational development.

    ‘‘I want to advise parents to stop buying phones and other communication gadgets for their children because rather than read their books, most students now spend more time on the social media to the detriment of their studies.

    ‘‘I want to use this opportunity to call on the state and Federal Governments to come out with measures that can help improve enrollment of girl-child in schools across the country.

    ‘‘We must change the mentality about girl-child education and ensure that the future of female child in education is uplifted for the growth and development of our country,’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Principal of the college, Rev. Sister Justina Adejoh, had called on government to intensify its campaign on the importance of training the girl-child.

    She appealed to parents to allow their children to choose their careers and stop imposing career choices on them.

    Adejoh congratulated the graduating students for exhibiting good attitude throughout their period of study in the school.

    She also commended them for their wonderful performances in the just released West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.

    The principal described their performances in the examination as heart-warming.

  • Police arrest four over ‘rogue’ websites

    Police arrest four over ‘rogue’ websites

    The Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested four suspects for operating illegal `rogue websites` to defraud unsuspecting West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) candidates across the country.

    The suspects are: Chijioke Modestus, Samuel Onwurah, 20, Patrick Nwodo, 30 and Okon Joseph.

    The Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, told newsmen in Abuja on Friday that the suspects were arrested by personnel of the Inspector-General of Police monitoring unit at different locations.

    Moshood said that Modestus, a 300 level computer science student of Michael Okpara University, Umudike, was arrested at Umuahia, Abia and confessed to have collected N70, 000 from his victims.

    He said Onwurah, who was arrested in Kutunku area of Gwagwalada, Abuja collected N90, 000 from his victims while Nwodo, who was arrested at Abakpa Nike in Enugu, also collected N40,000 from his victims.

    WAEC

     

    The spokesman explained further that Joseph, a 200 level Public Health student of the University of Calabar, who was arrested in Calabar collected N120, 000 from his victims.

    Moshood said that officials of WAEC had observed that some persons were soliciting for candidates sitting for the examination, to pay money into their bank accounts for `solved answers’ to questions.

    He said that the suspects would be charged to court on completion of the investigation, while efforts would be intensified to arrest other operators of the websites.

    The spokesman gave assurance to members of the public of the renewed commitment of the force to stamp out criminality in the country.

    Mr Yusuf Ari, a Zonal Coordinator for WAEC in Abuja, said that the council has been facing such challenges for some time.

    He said that the examination body had banned candidates and invigilators from carrying cell phones into the examination hall, to check malpractices.

    Ari restated the commitment of the council to conduct the

    examination at approved and certified centres only.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the WASSCE held on May 12 in the country and other four West African countries.

  • GCE 2016 : WAEC withholds 13,488 results

    GCE 2016 : WAEC withholds 13,488 results

    The results of 13,488 private candidates, out of the 172,699 who sat for the 2016 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), have been withheld.

    Mr Olu Adenipekun, Head of National Office (HNO) of the WAEC, announced this while releasing results of the Nov/Dec diet of the examination on Friday in Lagos.

    Adenipekun said the results were withheld in connection with various cases of examination malpractice.

    According to him, the results withheld represent 7.81 percent of the total number of candidates who sat for the examination.

    He said that the cases of malpractices were being investigated and that reports of the investigations would be presented to the appropriate committee of the council in due course, for consideration.

    The HNO added that the committee’s decision would be communicated to the affected candidates thereafter.

    Giving a further breakdown of the results, Adenipekun said that 176,621 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 172,699 sat for the tests.

    He said that of the figure, 88,290 were males, while 84,409 were females, representing 51.12 per cent and 48.88 per cent respectively.

    Adenipekun said that 1,210 other candidates had some of their subjects still being processed due to some errors traceable to them in the course of writing the examination.

    “Such errors are being corrected by the council to enable the affected candidates to get their results fully processed and released subsequently,’’ he said.

    According to him, out of the 172,699 that sat for the examination, 72,229 candidates, representing 41.82 per cent obtained credits and above in six subjects.

    A total of 95,294 representing 55.18 per cent obtained credits and above in five subjects, while 116,133 candidates, representing 67.25 per cent, obtained credits and above in four subjects.

    Similarly, 134,152 candidates, representing 77.67 per cent, obtained credits and above in three subjects, while 149,651 candidates, representing 86.65 per cent, also scored credits and above in two subjects.

    Adenipekun explained that 66,497 candidates, representing 38.50 per cent, obtained credits and above in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

    Giving a comparative analysis of the performance of the candidates who sat for the 2016 Nov/Dec of the examination, the HNO said there was an improvement when compared to candidates’ performance in the same examination in the 2014 and 2015 diets.

    “In the percentage of candidates that obtained credits and above in five subjects, including English and Mathematics in this year’s examination, there is an improvement in the performance this year when compared to the 29.37 percent in 2014 and 20.59 per cent in 2015 respectively,’’ he said.

    Adenipekun attributed the improved performance to the impact of democracy in the country.

    He said that many state governments were now showing commitment towards improving education in their respective states.

    “More infrastructure is being put in place, more schools also being built, while existing ones are being improved upon,’’ the HNO said.

    On its part, he said that WAEC maintained the standard of the examinations at all times.

    He assured that the council would continue to organise seminars for stakeholders to discuss the way forward for the Nigerian child.

    “We will always ensure the examinations are taken to the places of the habitat of the candidates, no matter the challenges.

    “This is to ensure that no one is denied the right to education,’’ he said.

    The NHO said that 19 blind candidates registered and sat for the examination.

    Adenipekun said that candidates who sat for the examination would be able to check the details of their performance on the council’s website in the next 24 hours.