BY DAYO ADESULU
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has on Monday released its 2022 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), withheld results of 365,564 candidates over examination malpractices.
WAEC’s Head of Nigeria Office (HNO), Patrick Areghan, disclosed this Monday while announcing the release of the results at its national corporate office in Yaba, Lagos State.
According to him, the results of the 365,564 candidates, represented 22.83 per cent of the total number of candidates that were involved in various examination malpractices.
Areghan said the numbers of candidates that involved in examination malpractices in 2022 were more than those of 2021. He said in 2021, those involved in malpractice were 10.9 per cent while this year is 11.74 per cent.
He explained that 1,222,505 candidates, amounting to 76.36 per cent of the 1,601,047 candidates that successfully sat the examination, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics
The HNO said: ”A total of One Million, Six Hundred and Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-One (1,607,981) candidates registered for the examination from Twenty Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty-Two (20,222) recognized secondary schools in the country. ”Of the number that registered for the examination, One Million, Six Hundred and One Thousand, and Forty-Seven (1,601,047) candidates sat the examination. The examination was also administered to candidates from some schools in Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, where the Nigerian, curriculum for Senior Secondary School is being used.
”A total of One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirteen (1,713) candidates, with varying degrees of Special Needs, registered for the examination. Out of this number, One Hundred and Twenty Eight (128) were visually challenged, Five Hundred and Eighty Three (583) had impaired hearing; Three Hundred and Eighty Seven (387) were spastic cum mentally challenged and Twelve (12) were physically challenged. All these candidates were adequately provided for in the administration of the examination. The results of these candidates have been processed and are also now being released along with those of other candidates.”
In his breakdown, Areghan said: ”Of the total number of One Million, Six Hundred and One Thousand, and Forty- Seven (1,601,047) candidates that sat the examination, Seven Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventeen (796,217) were males while Eight Hundred and Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty (804,830) were females, representing 49.73% and 50.27%, respectively.”
”Out of the total number of candidates that sat the examination in Nigeria, One Million, Four Hundred and Thirty-Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Nine (1,437,629) candidates, representing 89.79% have their results fully processed and released, while One Hundred and Sixty Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighteen (163,418) candidates, representing 10.21% have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some issues being resolved. Efforts are, however, being made to speedily complete the processing to enable all the affected candidates get their results fully processed and released within the next one week.
”The analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates in the examination shows that out of the One Million, Six Hundred and One Thousand, and Forty-Seven (1,601,047) candidates that sat the examination, One Million, Four Hundred and Nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Twenty Nine (1,409,529) candidates, representing 88.04%, obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five (5) subjects (i.e with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics;
”One Million, Two Hundred and Twenty Two Thousand, Five Hundred and Five (1,222,505) candidates, representing 76.36%, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
”Of this number, Five Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eleven (597,811) i.e. 37.34% were male candidates, while Six Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety-Four (624,694) i.e. 39.02% were female candidates. The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2021, that is, those who obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, was 81.70%. Thus, there is 5.34% decrease in performance in this regard.”
Examination Malpractice
”The results of Three Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Four (365,564) candidates, representing 22.83% of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice. This is (11.74%) higher than the 10.9% recorded in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2021. Reasons for this are not far-fetched. Candidates are no longer ready to learn. Preparations for examinations are poor. There is over-reliance on the so-called ‘Expo’, which is actually non-existent. Candidates simply got frustrated when they got into the examination hall and discovered that all they had celebrated was fake. This has pitiably led to some of them failing the examination, which if they had relied on themselves and studied hard, would have passed like many others.”
”The Council will continue to sanction all cases of examination malpractice. Schools, supervisors, teachers and candidates perpetrating this evil are not helping the educational system. It is the Child whose future is being destroyed. Parents must stop funding ‘expo’ for their children; it does not help. Those who indulge in posting items on designated platforms are nothing but destiny destroyers. Beneficiaries of such ‘help’ will never go unpunished as they will never have their results. All hands must be on deck to sanitize the system.
”The increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organized cheating in some schools, are other nagging issues. All the cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate Committee of the Council for consideration and final decisions. The Committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their various schools, in due course.
”Candidates who sat the examination and who have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Council can access their results on the Council’s results website: www.waecdirect.org, within the next twelve hours. Copies of the Result Listing will be sent to schools shortly. I need not restate the fact that the results of candidates who are sponsored by States indebted to the Council will not be released now until they pay up. We appeal to them to do so to enable the affected schools/candidates to access their results.
”The Result Checker PIN and Serial Number required by candidates to check their results online are contained on the Candidate’s Smart Identity Card used during the conduct of the examination. Certificates of candidates whose results have been fully processed and released will be ready within the next 90 days, counting from today.”
