The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that approximately 1.8 million candidates are expected to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, scheduled to begin on April 30 and end on June 24, 2024. According to Dr. Josiah Dangut, Head of Nigeria National Office, candidates from 22,229 schools registered for the examination, with 902,328 males and 912,016 females registered, reflecting an increase of 10.6% compared to last year’s figure.
In line with the Federal Government’s directive, the National Identification Number (NIN) was made a component of the registration process to ensure a more secure and efficient examination process. To ensure a smooth and secure examination process, extra security arrangements have been made in volatile areas, with the council working closely with the Police and state governments to provide adequate security. This includes the deployment of security personnel to examination centers, use of metal detectors, and monitoring of centers through CCTV cameras.
Dr. Dangut warned candidates and schools against examination malpractice, emphasizing that erring candidates, supervisors, and schools would face sanctions, including cancellation of results, expulsion from the examination, and prosecution. To combat malpractice, the council has implemented various awareness campaigns nationwide, including radio and television jingles, social media campaigns, and sensitization seminars for school proprietors, principals, students, and other key stakeholders. These efforts aim to educate stakeholders on the immediate and long-term effects of examination malpractice, including the erosion of academic integrity and the devaluation of certificates.
The results will be released 45 days after the conduct of the last paper, while certificates will be printed and issued to schools in less than 90 days after the release of results. Notably, results will be released along with digital copies of candidates’ certificates, accessible on the Digital Certificate platform, providing easy access to authentic and secure certificates. This innovation eliminates the risk of certificate fraud and forgery, ensuring that only genuine certificates are issued to candidates.
Additionally, the council has introduced a new feature, the “WAEC Result Checker,” which enables candidates to verify their results online using their examination numbers and NIN. This innovation aims to reduce the incidence of result falsification and provide candidates with a convenient and secure means of accessing their results.