BY DAYO ADESULU
Authorities of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC have on Monday released the WASSCE 2021 May/June results with 81.7% credit pass in English Language and Mathematics.
This could be adjudged as the best performance ever from the Nigerian students in the recent years.
Announcing the release of the WASSCE results in Lagos on Monday, the Head of Nigeria National Office, Mr Patrick Areghan said:
“One Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty Four (1,274,784) candidates, representing 81.7%, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.”
Areghan ascribed the performances of the students to their adequate preparations and not to WAEC.
In his breakdown of the results, the HNO said: “A total of One Million, Five Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Nine (1,573,849) candidates registered for the examination from Nineteen Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty Five (19,425) recognised secondary schools in the country. Of the number that registered for the examination, One Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty One (1,560,261) candidates sat the examination. The examination was also administered to candidates from some schools in Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire, where the Nigeria curriculum for Senior Secondary School is being used. Schools in Equatorial Guinea could not present candidates for the examination due to logistic challenges posed by COVID-19.
“I also wish to report that a total of One Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Nine (1,539) candidates, with varying degrees of Special Needs, registered for the examination. Out of this number, Four Hundred and Sixty (460) were visually challenged, Five Hundred and Eighty Two (582) had impaired hearing; Three Hundred and Sixty Two (362) were spastic cum mentally challenged and Fifty Nine (59) 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 being released along with those of other candidates.
“Of the total number of One Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty One (1,560,261) candidates that sat the examination, Seven Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy Seven (784,677) were males while Seven Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty Four (775,584) were females, representing 50.29% and 49.71%, respectively.
“Out of the total number of candidates that sat the examination in Nigeria, One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety (1,256,990) candidates, representing 80.56% have their results fully processed and released while Three Hundred and Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy One (303,271) candidates, representing 19.44% 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, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty One (1,560,261) candidates that sat the examination,
‘One Million, Three Hundred and Ninety Eight Thousand, Three Hundred and Seventy (1,398,370) candidates, representing 89.62%, 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 Seventy Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty Four (1,274,784) candidates, representing 81.7%, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
“Of this number, Six Hundred and Thirty Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty Eight (630,138) i.e. 49.43% were male candidates, while Six Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty Six (644,646) i.e. 50.57% were female candidates. The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2020, that is, those who obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, was 65.24%. Thus, there is an appreciable 16.46% improvement in performance in this regard.
“The results of One Hundred and Seventy Thousand, One Hundred and Forty Six (170,146) candidates, representing 10.9% of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice. Of great worry here is the activities of rogue-website operators and some other social media platforms, who post examination questions online immediately after the commencement of the paper being administered. The increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organized cheating in some schools, are other big concerns. All the cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate Committee of the Council for determination in due course. The Committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their various schools.
“The results are being uploaded on the results website. Candidates who sat the examination and who have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Council can access their performance on the Council’s results website: www.waecdirect.org. Needless restating the fact that the results of indebted candidates/Schools/States will not be released until they pay up.
“The Result Checker PIN and Serial Number required by candidates to check their results online are contained on the Candidate’s Smart Identity Card used during the conduct of the examination. Certificates of candidates whose results have been fully processed and released will be ready within the next 90 days, counting from today.”