The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has just released the 2022 results of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates.
WAEC’s Head of National Office, HNO, for Nigeria, Mr. Patrick E. Areghan, made the announcement at their head office in Yaba, Lagos, on Monday afternoon.
Areghan at a press conference said that the exam was this time conducted simultaneously across the four member countries of the Council, which included Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, using the same International Timetable.
The HNO explained that Ghana could not take part 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.
Ghana’s exams is now scheduled to take place between August 1 and September 1, 2022, according to him.
Areghan went on to highlight the challenges posed by insecurity in the country during the examination period.
“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”
He also lamented the failure of schools to comply with registration deadline, saying, “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”
He also condemned the activities of rogue website operators and the so called ‘miracle centers’ , adding that the Council was able to identify and apprehend these unpatriotic fellows through the help of security operatives, and that a few supervisors and invigilators who were caught aiding and abetting examination malpractice, would be punished.
He said, “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.”
Areghan further explained that, “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.”
He said it was impressive that the results of the exams which ended on June 23, 2022 , was being released on Monday, August 8, 2022, 45 days after the conduct of the last paper was written.
Areghan said, ” 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.
Areghan however, hinted that 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.”
He said the results are being uploaded on the results website and that 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.
He also notified that copies of the result listing will be sent to schools shortly, but warned that the results of candidates who were sponsored by States indebted to the Council, will not be released until they redeem their debts.
He advised candidates to use their Result Checker PIN and Serial Number contained in candidates Smart Identity Card used during the conduct of the examination, to check their results online.