Funmi Ogundare
West African Examinations Council (WAEC) yesterday stated its readiness to conduct the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for 1,607,975 school candidates.
An analysis of the schools showed that a total of 20,221 schools have registered for the examination. Out of this number of candidates, 800,055 are males, representing 49.76 per cent, while 800,724 are females, representing 50.24 per cent of the total number.
The Head of National Office (HNO) Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Areghan, who briefed journalists in Lagos, said the examination would hold between May 16 and June 23, 2022, in Nigeria, spanning a period of six weeks, adding that candidates would be examined in 76 subjects made up of 197 papers.
“About 30,000 practicing senior teachers nominated by various ministries of education would be participating in the examination as supervisors,” he added.
He emphasised on the revert to May/June period for the conduct of the examination, saying the significance of this is that the council and the various member states, except Ghana, have found a common ground for their academic calendars.
“This shows a massive recovery from the devastating effects, disruptions and confusion caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Areghan expressed concern that Sokoto and Zamfara States have failed to present candidates for the examination, adding that some states are indebted to the council and seem not to be bothered about it.
According to him, “There are states that are owing us for many years; though the Minister of Education has made efforts to help us recover the money from indebted states, if such states do not want to be named in the media, then they should pay us because we need the money to execute different projects.”
The HNO emphasised on the issue of insecurity in the country and the sit-at-home order, especially in Imo State. He said though conducting examinations under a hostile atmosphere is an herculean task, the council is currently liaising with the Inspector General of Police (IG) and the various state governments to provide security in order to ensure that the examination is conducted in a secure and safe environment.
Areghan stated that: “There are many flash points all over the country, and conducting examinations in such areas would require extra security arrangement. You would recall that the conduct of some papers in the WASSCE for school candidates 2021 was disrupted in some parts of the South-east region due to insecurity. It took the extraordinary magnanimity of WAEC to administer another examination, pro-bono, to the affected students. These are children, who, ordinarily, would have had their academic future jeopardised through no fault of theirs. So, all hands must be on deck to prevent this scenario.”
The WAEC boss, however, called on parents and guardians to admonish their wards to study hard and desist from engaging in any form of examination malpractice, adding that the mass media must also play its watch-dog role.
Areghan also warned schools and supervisors to desist from aiding and abetting examination malpractice through assisting candidates.
“The various state Ministries of Education should call their principals, teachers and other officials serving as inspectors to order. Every candidate and examination functionary must play by the rules which are well stipulated in the WAEC syllabus and guidelines for the conduct of examinations issued to schools.
“Erring schools will be derecognised; erring officials would be adequately punished, while erring candidates would lose their results, no matter whose ox is gored,” the HNO stressed.
