The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has given assurance that the maiden Computer- based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2024 – First Series, will be conducted in a hitch-free environment.
The examination which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, January 31, will end on Saturday, February 17, 2024, in Nigeria, spanning a period of two weeks and four days.
The council’s new Head of National Office in Nigeria, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, made this known while addressing the press at a conference held at its headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, on Monday.
His address at the conference partly reads: “You would recall that in November 2023, the Council, in a press release, announced that it had concluded plans to conduct its WASSCE for Private Candidates, using the computer-based model.
“..this first-ever computer-based examination, will be delivered in hybrid mode. The hybrid mode entails that, the Objective or Multiple Choice questions will be rendered on-screen and candidates are required to give their responses on the screen. The Essay and Practical questions will be rendered on-screen, likewise, but candidates will be required to give their responses using the answer booklets provided.
“WAEC Nigeria, in keeping with its vision of being a world-class examining body and its core value of innovation, has taken this bold step to offer candidates a viable alternative to the Pen and Paper model of examinations, while giving its stakeholders and publics, a view of the great potentials that exist in Computer-based approach to assessments.
“This briefing is to inform you of our level of preparedness and readiness for the conduct of CB-WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2024 – First Series, in Nigeria,” Dangut stated.
He further explained that the Council is encouraged by the acceptance of this innovation as evidenced in the number of entries received so far.
“As of today, Monday, January 29, 2024, a total of Eight Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty-Five (8285) candidates from across the Federation have registered for the examination. Out of this number, Three Thousand Nine Hundred and Forty- Nine (3,949) are male, representing (47.66%) while Four Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty -Six (4336) are female, representing 52.3% of the total candidature.
“Candidates would be examined in 19 subjects, made up of 26 papers. For the successful conduct of the examination and to curb examination malpractices, carefully selected examination officials have been trained by the Council to serve as Proctors during the conduct of the examination,” he clarified.wille new helmsman further stated that WAEC, as a way of helping candidates, has made available its e-learning portal with materials that will demonstrate to candidates, the requirements for the conduct of the CB-WASSCE.
He therefore urged candidates to visit https://www.waeconline.org.ng/e-Learning/index.htm to access the portal.
