By DAYO ADESULU
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced commencement of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), beginning from Tuesday 30th April to June 24th 2024.
This is just as it warned the rogue websites and parents who connive to carry out examination malpractice for WASSCE candidates.
The Head of Nigeria National Office, WAEC, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut while addressing journalists on Monday at their corporate office, Yaba, Lagos said, “The examination will be conducted in four WAEC member countries, namely: Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra-Leone and Liberia.”
According to him, a total of One Million, Eight Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Forty-Four (1,814,344) candidates from Twenty-Two Thousand Two Hundred and Twenty-Nine ( 22,229) schools registered for the examination.
He said: “Out of this number, Nine Hundred and Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty-Eight (902,328) are males, amounting to 49.73%, while Nine Hundred and Twelve Thousand, and Sixteen (912,016) are females, which is 50.27% of the total candidature.
“The statistics show a further increase in the number of females and males respectively, compared to last year.
“However, on the whole, the candidature for this year increased by One Hundred and Ninety-Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Eight (192,948).”
Dangut explained that candidates would be examined in Seventy-six (76) subjects, made up of One Hundred and Ninety-Seven (197) papers.
“About Thirty Thousand (30,000) practicing senior secondary school teachers, nominated by various Ministries of Education, will supervise the examination,” he said.
The HNO however warned students, parents and other syndicate to desists from examination malpractice as any candidate caught would face the wrath of the law.
His words: ‘The Council decisively deals with candidates and examination functionaries who engage in acts of examination malpractice of any kind. The penalties for involvement in examination malpractice are meted out on erring candidates, supervisors and schools, etc, upon establishment of culpability by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making organ of the Council that sits on examination matters in Nigeria.
‘The Council, on its part, has rolled out several awareness campaigns nationwide, and organized seminars for school proprietors, principals, students and other key stakeholders, to sensitize them on the immediate and long-drawn effects of examination malpractice.
“Similarly, flyers, banners, posters and other forms of reminders to further keep the message fresh in the minds of all stakeholders and candidates sitting the examination have been rolled out.
‘It is therefore, on this note that, I call on parents and guardians to encourage their wards to study diligently and desist from engaging in any form of examination malpractice.
“The mass media must come in handy, as the effort to rid our nation of this menace is a collective responsibility. The various Ministries of Education should call their principals, teachers and other officials serving as inspectors and/or supervisors, to order.
‘School principals and teachers should sensitize their students on the dangers of this terrible crime against humanity. Every candidate and examination functionary must play by the rules, which are well stipulated in the WAEC examination Syllabuses and Guidelines for the conduct of examination, issued to schools.
“Erring schools would be derecognised; erring officials would be adequately punished, while erring candidates would their results, if found culpable.
‘We also want to sound a note of warning to all operators of rogue websites that WAEC will not condone their heinous acts during the conduct of the examination. Parents are hereby cautioned to desist from patronising these evil-doers who are hell-bent on frustrating the efforts of WAEC.”