West African Examinations Council, WAEC has reported that of the 1,805,216 candidates that sat for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examinations, WASSCE, 1,301,941 which is about 72.11 per cent have credit passes in English Language and Mathematics. This the examination body said is lower than the 79.81% of the number that recorded such feat in the 2023 WASSCE. WAEC said at a press briefing by the Head of the Nigeria National Office, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut. He said out of the 1,302,009 candidates that had credit passes in the two subjects, “628,820, i.e., 48.30% were male candidates, while 673,121, i.e., 51.70% were female candidates.
“A comparison of the percentage of candidates in this category in WASSCE for School 2023 and 2024, shows that in this year’s WASSCE, there is a 7.69% decrease in performance (that is, those who obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, was 79.81%)”, Dangut said. However, 1,332,089 candidates, representing 73.79%, obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects (i.e. with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics. The HNO added that a total of 1,814,736 candidates registered for the examination from 25,126 recognised secondary schools in the country. He further added, “1,685,889 candidates, representing 93.39% have their results fully processed and released, while 119,327 candidates, representing 6.61% have one or more of their subjects still being processed due to some issues being resolved. He, however, noted that efforts were being made to speedily complete the process and release the affected candidates’ results within a couple of days.
The examination, also administered to candidates from some schools in Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, and Equatorial Guinea, where the Nigerian curriculum for Senior Secondary Schools is being used, saw a total of 109,115 candidates with varying degrees of special needs, registered for the examination. “Out of this number, 145 were visually challenged, 473 had impaired hearing; 44 were spastic cum mentally challenged, and 38 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.”
Giving further breakdown of the statistics, he explained that of the 1,805,216 candidates that wrote the examination, 896,894 were males, while 908,322 were females, representing 49.68% and 50.32%, respectively. Meanwhile, the WAEC boss, who noted that the results of 215,267 candidates, representing 11.92 percent of all candidates who sat for the exam, would not be released due to malpractices, added that candidates who were sponsored by the states and indebted to the Council would equally have their results withheld. He said “the results of 215,267 candidates, representing 11.92% of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice. This is (4.37%) lower than the 16.29% recorded in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023.
“I need not restate the fact that the results of candidates who are sponsored by states indebted to the Council will not be released now until payment is made. We appeal to the concerned to do so to enable the affected schools/candidates access their results.” In a novel development, Dr. Dangut has assured candidates of near-immediate release of their results and certificates, provided they meet the statutory requirements of the body.
“Kindly note as WASSCE for school candidates 2024 results are being uploaded on the results website, candidates should, after checking the result online, apply for their Digital Certificate, which will be released 48 hours thereafter. Candidates 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. Copies of the Result Listing will be sent to schools shortly, ” he stated.
