The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has released the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates, 2022 in Nigeria.
This was on Monday made known by Patrick E. Ereghan, head of Nigeria office at the WAEC national office in Yaba, Lagos, on behalf of the Registrar to Council, the Management and Staff of Nigeria.
Addressing the media, Ereghan explained the WASSCE is an international examination, which is usually conducted, simultaneously, throughout the five member countries of the Council – The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, using the same International Timetable.
However, Ghana did not part-take in the examination with its other counterparts in the sub-region, as it is still trying to harmonise its academic calendar, due to the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The examination is now scheduled to take place in Ghana between August 1 and September 1, 2022.
Examination Period
The examination spanned a period of six (06) weeks, from May 16 to June 23, 2022.
Challenges
Insecurity in the Land
As usual, we were faced with the Herculean task of conducting the examination in a harsh environment, given the current insecurity in the country, with the numerous cases of banditry, kidnapping and insurgency. Cases of disruption were experienced in some parts of the South East. There were also some serious concerns in parts of the North West. We are thankful to God that though the issue of insecurity persisted, the examination was conducted and scripts marked successfully, throughout the country, with the collaboration of the State governments concerned, the Military and the Nigeria Police Force.
Non-Adherence to Registration Deadline
This was perhaps the highest headache the Council encountered on the road to the conduct of the examination. Some schools simply ‘slept off’ and failed to do the needful.
Some failed to upload their students’ CASS at the stipulated time and many failed to meet registration deadlines, to the extent that some schools ended up not presenting their students for the examination. Yet, some who registered their students off-line failed to upload their entries! This showed unacceptable level of non-challance. Again, others failed to meet deadlines due to criminal ‘shopping’ for candidates. By the time they realized it, the window had closed!
It should be known to all and sundry that registration for WAEC examinations is not an open-ended thing. Pre-examination materials, examination materials and post-examination materials have to be produced, using data supplied by candidates, in good time before the conduct of any diet. Failure to meet these requirements would throw the entire process into jeopardy. We plead for co-operation and understanding in this respect, in order to make future exercises less stressful and successful.
For the avoidance of doubt, Tax Identification Number (TIN) is not a pre-requisite for registration for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). States sponsoring candidates for the examination must show commitment, willingness, readiness and ability to pay or redeem their debts. Part payment of entry fee is not, and cannot be equated with, upfront payment.
Financial Issues/Inflation
The high inflation rate in the country has affected the cost of everything and the Council is not excluded as this has greatly added to the challenges the Council is facing in terms of the cost of conducting examinations. Equally linked to this is the associated cost of navigating the insecurity in the land.
Rogue Website Operators/Shameless Connivance of Some Supervisors
The activities of rogue website operators and the so called miracle centers, did not go unnoticed and unpunished as the Council was able to identify and apprehend these unpatriotic fellows through the help of security operatives. A few supervisors and invigilators who were caught aiding and abetting examination malpractice, were also brought to book. They are currently charting with the Police all over the federation. The Council, on its part, through the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC), will mete out appropriate sanctions to affected supervisors, through the various State Ministries of Education.
Coordination and Marking Exercise
The Coordination of Examiners and Marking of Candidates’ Scripts took place from June 11 to July 29, 2022 at Eighty Nine (89) marking venues, comprising Eighty Five (85) traditional and four (4) e-Marking Venues throughout the country. A total of Seventy Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty Nine (79,229) Examiners, comprising Seventy Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Three (77,173) traditional examiners and Two Thousand and Fifty Six (2,056) e-examiners, participated in the coordination and marking exercise.
Gentlemen of the media, the conduct of WASSCE for School Candidates, 2022 ended on June 23, 2022 and today, being Monday, August 8, 2022, 45 days after the conduct of the last paper, the result is being released.
The Council in Nigeria has not rested on it oars as it continues to prioritize the use of technology in most of its operations to enhance the quality of its service delivery to its stakeholders. This has impacted positively on the prompt release of results, despite all the inconveniences encountered on the field.
Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates that sat the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2022 in Nigeria.
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.
I also wish to report that 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.
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.
Gentlemen of the Media, the results are being uploaded on the results website. 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 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.
GENERAL
Before I end this briefing, let me use this opportunity to acquaint the media and other stakeholders with the latest developments in the operations of the Council.
1. WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2022- Second Series
The registration for the WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2022 – Second Series is currently on-going. The registration commenced on the 13th of July, 2022 and the first entry period will end on the 12th of August, 2022. Also, there will be provision for walk-in-candidates throughout the duration of the examination. You can enroll a day to the date of the paper you wish to take and simply walk into the examination hall to take it. Candidates will be tested in 36 subjects/108 papers. The examination will be conducted in all the states of the federation. Registration PINs can be purchased from accredited banks and cashless payment points/Point of Sales (POS) operators. The cost of the Registration PIN is Eighteen Thousand (18,000) naira only, with a commission fee of N500.00 only payable to the sales agent. Candidates can log on to www.waeconline.org.ng for more information.
Candidates will be expected to supply their NIN as part of the registration requirements.
The WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2023 – First Series will follow shortly after the end of WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2022 – Second Series, in January/February, 2023. These various examination diets are aimed at reducing the waiting time for candidates to access examinations and obtain results and hence, increase access to higher education.
2. Digital Security Printing Press
I am delighted to inform you that the Nigeria National Office is set to commission its own Digital Security Printing Press. This will be the first of its kind by the Council in Nigeria. The Printing press is a response to the growing needs of the Nigeria National office. With this Digital Security Printing Press, the Nigeria National Office will be able to improve its operational efficiency.
3. Digital Certificate
The much awaited Digital Certificate software, which was earlier announced as one of the innovations the Council is exploring in its bid to make service delivery more accessible to candidates, is here at last.
The project has been completed and it is now set for launch to enable end-users enjoy the enormous benefits of the service.
4. Robust Computer Based Test Services
Gentlemen of the Media, the Nigeria National office boasts of having a very reliable and robust Computer Based and Aptitude Test Services, situated at the WAEC Testing and Training Centre, Ogba – an edifice that houses state-of-the art facilities.
5. EDUSTAT
This enables interested stakeholders to access WAEC statistics online. It is very useful for researchers, organizations and governments at all levels. It solves the problem of falsification and accessibility.
6. WAEC ChatBot
The general public is once again urged to access all WAEC services online and real-time by patronising the WAEC Request Management Portal (WAEC CHATBOT). Simply log onto www.request.waec.org, or, chat with us on WhatsApp with the following numbers:
– 08179439269
– 07061741253
7. WAEC Verify
This product has since been launched and it is operational. It provides on-line access to tertiary institutions and other establishments for the verification of prospective students’/applicants’ results.
