WASSCE November/December 2013 Results Released

Just 86,612 (29.17 %) out of the 296,827 candidates that sat for the November/December 2013 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) made the minimum benchmark of credits in five subjects including English and Mathematics.

The results were announced by the Head of Nigerian National Office, Mr. Charles Eguridu, at the council’s headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, on December 19, 2013, Thursday.

Mr. Eguridu said the statistics shows decline in candidates’ performance compared to the last two years. In 2011, 36.07 % made the benchmark, while in 2012 – 37.97 %.

Mr. Eguridu suggested that the decline in comparison to the previous years may be because of the reduction in the quality of teaching and learning. However, the council is planning workshops for interested state governments to learn tips on how to better prepare their candidates for the examination, particularly the May/June version.

“WAEC is a mirror. WAEC is not responsible for what happens in the school system. We are not supposed to regulate the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. Perhaps there has not been proper learning on the part of learners and teaching on the part of teachers.

“However, to improve quality, from January next year, we will partner with state governments that are willing to open their doors to us to run a clinic to assist in giving them feedback on how candidates should be taught; how to do proper continuous assessment and how to answer questions,” he said.

As concerns struggling with examination malpractices, Mr. Eguridu informed that new scanning devices would be used in centres next year to prevent candidates from taking foreign objects into the examination halls.

“Beginning with the May/June 2014 WASSCE, the council is deploying cutting-edge technology in the conduct of its examinations, by using contactless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Smart Card, for easy and accurate identification, automated attendance register, instant malpractice reporting and effective post examination management,” he said.

38,260 candidates (12.88 %) have their results withheld because of complicity in examination malpractice. Mr. Eguridu said they will be investigated by the Nigerian Examinations Committee. Another 8,433 candidates also have some of their subjects not released due to technical errors, which were likely caused by the candidates or cyber cafes where they registered. 

The Nation