Wale Ajao
3 April 2008
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Lagos — The recently concluded 45th meeting of the Nigeria Examination Committee (NEC) of the West African Examination Council, WAEC discovered that a total of 37,000 candidates who sat for the November/December 2007 West African School Certificate Examination, WASSCE were involved in various malpractices, the committee chairman Mr. Nzemeka Oliseh told newsmen in Ibadan.
The cases considered included 1,343 cases in English Language and 1,349 cases in Mathematics. After due consideration of the cases, the committee applied the appropriate sanctions prescribed by the rules and regulations governing the conduct Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, Head of National Office, Nigeria of the examination.
It cancelled the complete results of candidates involved in 5,896 cases of malpractice. It also called the subject results of candidates involved in 3,866 cases. Similarly it recommended for sanction by appropriate authorities invigilators found to have condoned examination malpractice.
A total of four candidates were however left off the hook for lack of evidence against them. The committee also considered five restitution cases and six clemency cases at the meeting.
According to the committee, candidates' performance in some subjects were seen as "good." Those subjects include Visual Arts, Arabic 2, Building Construction 1, Government 2, Economics 2, Commerce 2, Financial Accounting, Typewriting, Shorthand, Clothing and Textiles 2, Physical Education 2 and Woodwork 1 in the November/December 2007 WASSCE.
Members, however, expressed concern over the poor performance of candidates in Geography 1B, Geography 2, Visual Arts 1, Music 1A, Literature-in-English 2 among others.
The committee noted the report by the Chief Examiners that candidates' strengths in English Language 1 included the ability to write essays of considerable length as required by the questions.
In general, Mathematics and Further Mathematics candidates reportedly performed better in the sections that contained the short questions.
Similarly, the committee noted that the Chief Examiners attributed the candidates weaknesses to several factors which included poor knowledge of the recommended texts, poor grammatical structures, illegible handwriting, inadequate preparation towards the examination, inadequate coverage of the syllabus, spelling errors, poor understanding of the demands of the questions as well as poor communication and quantitative skills.
The recommendations for improvement made by the Chief Examiners were accepted by the committee. These include the need for the candidates to be conversant with the syllabus and make use of standard textbooks when preparing for the examination.
There is also a need for qualified and competent teachers to be made to handle the teaching of science subjects in secondary schools.
The committee also accepted the recommendation that teachers should endeavour to cover the syllabus with the candidates before the commencement of the examination. Candidates should also read and understand the rubrics before attempting the questions.
Mr. Oliseh said further that the committee observed with dismay the inadequate utilisation of the council's Chief Examiner's Reports which are part of the council's laudable efforts aimed at assisting schools and candidates to prepare for the WASSCE.
It therefore directed the National Office to make it compulsory for each recognised school to acquire at least two copies of the Chief Examiner's Reports and make available the report on each subject to the relevant teachers in the school.
Higher institutions of learning were advised to demand the original WASSCE certificates from their students or employees one year after the release of the results.
Mr. Oliseh who is the representatives of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, (ANCOPSS) called on education stakeholders to join WAEC in the fight against examination malpractice. He said WAEC has been reporting those involved in examination malpractice to relevant government agencies and it is the duty of the relevant agencies to ensure that culprits do not go unpunished.
The Nigeria Examination Committee is the highest decision making organ of WAEC on the conduct of examination in Nigeria.
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