Mass failure as WAEC releases May/June exam results

The West Africa Examination Council, WAEC has released its May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, results, recording mass failure in Mathematics and English Language.

Announcing the results, yesterday, at WAEC office, Yaba, the Head of National Office, WAEC, Mr. Charles Eguridu said: “A total of 529,425 candidates, representing 31.28 per cent, obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.”

He noted that when compared to the 2012 and 2013 May/June WASSCE results, there was marginal decline in the performance of candidates as 38.81 per cent was recorded in 2012 and 36.57 per cent in 2013.

Eguridu, who disclosed that the results of 145,795 candidates, representing 8.61 per cent, are being withheld in connection with various types of examination malpractice said: “The cases are being investigated and the reports of the investigations will be presented in November to the Nigeria Examinations Committee, NEC.

”According to him, out of 1,692,435 candidates that sat for the examination, 791,227 candidates, representing 46.75 per cent, obtained six credits and above, just as a total of 982,472 candidates representing 58.05 per cent, obtained five credits and above.

In addition, he stated that 1,148,262 candidates, representing 67.84  per cent, obtained credits and above in four subjects, while 1,293,389 candidates, representing 76.42 per cent, obtained credits and above in three subjects.

He said out of the 161 visually-handicapped candidates, who registered for the examination, 21 of them, representing 14 per cent obtained credits in five subjects, including English language, adding, “blind candidates do not take mathematics and science practicals in the WASSCE.”

In his analysis, he said: “A total of 1,705,976 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 1,692,435 candidates, consisting of 929,075 male and 763,360 female candidates sat for  the examination.

“Of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, 1,605,613 candidates, representing 94.87 per cent have their results fully released, while 86,822 candidates, representing 5.13 per cent have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some errors, mainly traceable to laxity on the part of the candidates and the schools, in the course of registration or writing the examination.

“Such errors are being corrected by the Council to enable the affected candidates get their results fully processed and released as soon as they are ready.

”Meanwhile, to curb examination malpractice, WAEC has announced the introduction of ICT-driven device which will enable supervisors and staff of the Council on duty to address and record in real time the processes on the day of the examination.

The HNO said: “With effect from the May/June 2014 WASSCE, the Council introduced a device known as Candidates Identity Verification, Attendance, Malpractice and Post Examinations Management System, CIVAMPEMS.

“This ICT-driven device enables supervisors and staff of the Council on duty, to address and record in real time the processes on the day of the examination.

“These include identity verification, capturing and recording occurrences as they happen, such as candidates’ attendance and examination malpractice and transmit same to our data base.

“With this, the Council is able to generate valid examination reports for each examination centre.”

He noted that the Council, beginning with the November/December 2014 WASSCE, will introduce customised, transparent mathematical sets, with in-built non-programmable scientific calculators, which conform with the rules and regulations of its examinations.

He urged all prospective candidates, for both the May/June and November/December WASSCE diets to note that, henceforth, bringing in any other non-approved mathematical set or calculator into examination halls would not be allowed.

“Models of the WAEC-customised mathematical set would be made available to schools to assist them in preparing their candidates for the Council”s examinations,” he said.

He also said that “the Council, with effect from 2014 WASSCE, is introducing biometric enabled certificates.

Each certificate will have a QR code with details of the candidate’s biometrics.”