Alleged Malpractices: WAEC Withholds 365,564 Results

• As 1.22m obtain five credits including English, Maths

BY CHINYERE OBIORA – The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the results of 365,564 candidates who wrote this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) over allegations of examination malpractices.

According to the statistics released on Monday, the number of withheld results represents about 22.83 percent of the 1,601,047 candidates that sat for the annual examination.

Head of the Nigerian National Office of WAEC, Mr Patrick Areghan, who gave a breakdown of the candidates’ performance in Lagos, said; “The results of 365,564 candidates, representing 22.83 percent of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.

“This is (11.74 percent) higher than the 10.9 percent recorded in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2021. The reasons for this are not far-fetched. Candidates are no longer ready to learn.”

Areghan further explained; “The analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates in the examination shows that out of the 1,601,047 candidates that sat for the examination, 1,409,529 candidates, representing 88.04 percent, obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five (5) subjects (i.e with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics.

“Also, 1,222,505) candidates, representing 76.36 percent, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics”, adding; “Of this number, 597,811 i.e. 37.34 percent were male candidates, while 624,694 i.e. 39.02 percent 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 percent. Thus, there is a 5.34 percent decrease in performance in this regard”.

Also confirming that 1.713 special needs candidates sat for 2022 WASSCE, the WAEC Chief said; “I wish to report that a total of 1,713 candidates, with varying degrees of Special Needs, registered for the examination. Out of this number, 128 were visually challenged, 583 had impaired hearing; 387 were spastic cum mentally challenged and 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”.

On the increased cases of malpractices, Areghan lamented that; “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.”

On WAEC’s management of existing and emerging challenges, especially in ensuring candidates in the North West and South East affected by security issues participated in the examinations, Areghan said provisions were made for them to take the examination at a later day, with their results also released.