Education
WAEC Releases 2023 WASSCE Results
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the results of 262,803 candidates who wrote the 2023 school candidate West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Mr Patrick Areghan, the council’s Head of National Office (HNO), said this at a news conference to announce the release of the results.
He said that the results were withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.
According to him, the figure represents 16.29 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination.
He said that this was 6.54 per cent lower than the 22.83 per cent recorded in the same diet for School Candidates in 2022.
“The reasons for this are not far-fetched. Candidates are no longer ready to study, they lack self-confidence and preparations for examinations are poor. There is over-reliance on the so-called ‘Expo’, which is non-existent.
“Candidates got frustrated when they got to the examination hall and discovered that all they had celebrated was fake. This has pitiably led to some of them failing the examination,” he said.
He added that all reported cases were being investigated and reports of the investigations would be presented to the appropriate committee of the council for consideration and final decisions.
According to him, the committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their various schools in due course.
“Candidates affected by these decisions can now call for redress if they so wish. This is our humble way of giving the candidates a fair hearing and thus, maintaining their fundamental human right,” he added.
Giving a further breakdown of the results, Areghan noted that a total of 1,621,884 candidates registered for the examination, from 20,867 recognised secondary schools in the country.
He said that, of the registered candidates, 1,613,733 sat the examination.
The HNO said that 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 Schools was being used.
He noted that, of the total number of candidates that registered for the examination, 70,794 are with varying degrees of Special Needs.
According to him, out of this number, 109 are visually impaired, 386 with impaired hearing, 33 spastic cum mentally challenged and 34 others 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 categories of the results, he said that out of the number of candidates that sat the examination, a total of 1,476,565, representing 91.5 per cent had their results fully processed and released.
Areghan noted that 137,168 others, representing 8.5 per cent, had a few of their subjects still being processed, due to some shortcomings, ranging from nonchallance, lethargy, incomplete CASS upload, disobedience of rubrics, and others associated with the schools and candidates concerned.
He explained that efforts were being made to complete the resolution process, to enable all the affected candidates to speedily get their results fully processed and released within the next couple of days.
The WAEC boss spoke on the analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates in the examination.
He said it showed that out of the 1,613,733 candidates that sat the examination, a total of 1,361,608 representing 84.38 per cent , obtained credit and above in a minimum of any 5 subjects, that is, with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics.
“A total of 1,287,920 candidates, representing 79.81 per cent , obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
“Of this number, 616,914, that is 47.9 per cent, were male candidates, while 671,006, that is 52.1 per cent, were female candidates.
“The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for School Candidates in 2022, that is, those who obtained credit and above in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, was 76.36 per cent , thus, there is a 3.45 per cent decrease in performance in this regard,” Areghan stated.
Speaking further, he stressed that the council would continue to sanction all cases of examination malpractice, noting that all supervisors, teachers and candidates perpetrating this evil were not helping the education system.
He warned that state governments yet to pay council registration fees of their candidates would not be able to access the results of such candidates, until they pay up.
“I need to restate that the results of candidates 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 access their results.
The Result Checker PIN and Serial Number required by candidates to check their results online are on the Candidate’s Smart Identity Card used during the examination,” he said.
The HNO, whose tenure comes to an end on Oct. 1, said that results of candidates who wrote the 2023 WASSCE for School Candidates were already being uploaded on the results website.
“As I speak, a very big innovation is that after checking the result, candidates can access their Digital Certificate simultaneously.
“ That is, the Digital Certificate of candidates who sat for this year’s WASSCE for School Candidates and have no pending issues, by way of unresolved queries or hanging cases of examination malpractice, are ready on the Digital certificate platform.
“Printing of the physical (hard copy) certificates will commence 90 days from today. This is an innovation that will make admission processes seamless, and with a high level of mobility.
“Candidates who have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Council can access their results on the Council’s results website: http://www.waecdirect.org.
“After accessing their results, candidates can visit WAEC to confirm, share and download digital copies of their certificates. Copies of the result listing will be sent to schools shortly.
“Another innovation is that candidates can now check online, to ascertain the correctness of their registration details, to avoid request for amendment later, which may not even be granted. Candidates must supply their NIN as part of the registration requirements,” he said.
He said that insecurity and non adherence to registration deadline as some of the hiccups the council had encountered in their preparation for the the conduct of its examination. (NAN)
The newly-appointed Pro-chancellor of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Justice Abdu Aboki, has promised to turn the challenges of the institution into opportunities.
Aboki, who made the promise in his inaugural speech, noted that his appointment was not just a personal milestone but a significant moment in the journey of the university.
“As we journey together in concert toward
impacting and making positive contributions toward the wellbeing of this
university.
“I have no doubt in the immense potential that lies in our students, management and the community at large in taking this university to greater heights,” he said.
He called on all stakeholders to collectively harness the strengths and resources available to transform challenges into opportunities for the benefit of Kano State and Nigeria.
“The journey ahead will not be without its obstacles, but I am confident that with your support and a shared commitment to our goals, we will succeed.
“It is important that we make a difference; to leave a lasting impact on future generations and to elevate Aliko Dangote University to new heights,” the pro-chanchellor said.
He expressed appreciation to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf for his appointment, saying he was elated for being given another opportunity to render service.
“Having spent the better part of my adult life in
the public service, I feel elated for this opportunity to continue my service in this new capacity.”
On his vision as the institution’s pro-chancellor, Aboki promised to cultivate an environment where academic excellence would thrive.
He also promised that the institution’s students would be equipped with theoretical and practical knowledge and inspired to become leaders in their respective fields.
“Let us embark on this journey with a renewed sense of purpose and determination,” he added.(NAN)
The Federal Capital Territory Wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) on Wednesday, resumed industrial action over unresolved welfare issues between it and the six area councils of the territory.
The union declared the strike in a communique signed by its Chairman, Mr Abdullahi Shafa, State Secretary, Mrs Margaret Jethro, and State Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye.
The strike is a continuation of earlier ones suspended by the union in October 2023 and in January 2024.
The union, in the communiqué issued in Abuja, explained that the action was the outcome of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting held on Tuesday.
It added that the SWEC had deliberated on the 14-day ultimatum given to the area councils’ chairmen to pay the teachers their entitlements.
The ultimatum expired on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
“The SWEC, therefore, resolved and directed primary school teachers in the FCT to resume the suspended strike action with effect from Wednesday, Sept. 18.
“All public primary schools in FCT should remain closed and parents are hereby advised to remain guided by this development until the union’s demands are met.
“We appeal to all teachers to remain calm and disregard any counter directives except as directed by the union,” it added.
The union identified one of the unresolved issues as non-payment of 60 per cent of the 25 months old minimum wage areas.
Other issues included non-implementation and payment of 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increase, and non-implementation and payment of 40 per cent peculiar allowance.
The union is also demanding the payment of the N35,000 wage award arrears and the implementation of the template on outstanding entitlements of teachers as agreed in 2022.
The FCT Minister had intervened and promised to pay 40 per cent of the outstanding 25 months minimum wage arrears.
As part of the resolution for suspending the strike, the six area councils were expected to pay the remaining 60 per cent of the minimum wage arrears.
The teachers acknowledged and applauded Wike for redeeming the 40 per cent pledge, and frowned at the area councils’ chairmen for failing to fulfill their part of the agreement.
Reacting to the development, Dr Hassan Sule, acting Chairman, FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB), appealed to the NUT to suspend the strike.
Sule said that discussion with the chairmen of the area councils was ongoing to resolve the issues. (NAN)
Some parents of students of Oriwu Model College in Ikorodu on Sunday protested the sudden increase of boarding fees by the Lagos State Government.
The parents, who carried out the peaceful protest at the gate of the college, demanded the immediate reversal of the boarding fees which was increased from N35,000 to N100,000.
Mr Kazeem Oladuni, Chairman, Parents Forum Association (PFA), Oriwu College, appealed to the state Ministry of Education to reverse the increment to enable their wards resume school.
“Our children were supposed to resume on Sept. 9, butt we received a memo that one week has been added, which expired today, Sept.15.
“To our surprise, another memo came out on Sept.
13, indicating that the boarding fees have been increased from N35,000 to N100,000“We held a meeting with Lagos State Coordinator of PFA and resolved that the fees are outrageous for any parent at this time of hardship in the country,” he said.
Also, Mrs Adedoyin Badmus, who spoke on behalf of parents in the Igbogbo Area, Ikorodu, said education was supposed to be free.
Badmus, however, said the government was making it difficult for the children of many average Nigerians to acquire education with the sudden and astronomical increase in boarding fees.
Similarly, another parent, Mrs Mary Enaayi, appealed to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to consider the plights of many parents who are petty traders and struggle to ensure that their children access quality education.
Enaayi urged the state government to urgently reverse the fees to allow dividends of democracy to cut across all strata of society.
“I am appealing to LASG to consider that some parents are traders, but because they want their children to have quality education, that is why they registered them as boarders.
“With this outrageous amount, the careers of those wards will be shattered because their parents can not afford to pay the N100,000.
“Some have two or three children in the school, which means they have to withdraw due to the sudden increment,” she said.
The parents carried placards with inscriptions like ‘No reduction, No resumption’, ‘We need free education’, ‘Our government is wicked’, ‘N35,000 to N100,000 is too outrageous’, among others. (NAN)
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