*Witholds results of 365,564 candidates over examination malpractices
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), on Monday released the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results for schools.
But the examination body also withheld the results of 365,564 candidates, following their involvement in various reported cases of examination malpractices.
The WAEC’s Head of Nigeria National Office, Mr Patrick Areghan, stated this at the WAEC office in Yaba while announcing the release of the results.
He added that students’ preparations for the examinations were poor, saying that candidates were no longer ready to learn.
Areghan also disclosed that 365,564 candidates, representing 22.83% of the total number of candidates, sat for the examination, adding that the number was 11.74% higher than the 10.9% recorded in the WASSCE for School Candidates in 2021.
He said, ‘‘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.’’
Speaking on performance analysis, Areghan disclosed that about 88.04% of the candidates who sat the 2022 WASSCE obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects (i.e with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics and 76.36% obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
According to him, a total of 1,607,981 candidates registered for the examination from 20,222 recognised secondary schools in the country, saying that of the number that registered for the examination, 1,601,047 candidates sat for the examination.
He said, “The analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates in the examination shows that out of the 1,601,047 candidates that sat the examination, 1,409,529 candidates, representing 88.04%, obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects (i.e with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics;
“ 1,222,505 candidates, representing 76.36%, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.”
Areghan also disclosed that the results of candidates who were sponsored by States indebted to WAEC would not be released until they pay up.
He said, “The results are being uploaded on the results website. Candidates who sat for the examination and who have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Council can access their results on the Council’s results website within the next 12 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 to access their results.”
Areghan also decried the increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall in spite of the existing ban, saying that non-adherence to registration deadlines remained the most problematic issue.
He said, ‘‘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 offline failed to upload their entries! Again, others failed to meet deadlines due to criminal ‘shopping’ for candidates. By the time they realized it, the window had closed.”
