WAEC releases 2015 results, withholds 200, 000 for thirteen debtor-states

• Governors’ Forum intervenes • 38.68% pass English Language, Mathematics

THE West African Examination Council (WAEC) yesterday released results of the May/June 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), with 616,370 candidates, representing 38.68 per cent obtaining five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

But it is bad news for about 200, 000 candidates from the 13 outstanding debtor-states as the examination body promised not to upload the results of their candidates on the council’s website. This is in execution of the threat it made earlier if the affected states failed to pay up before the results are released.

Only six states had defrayed their indebtedness at the expiration of the ultimatum. Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC, Charles Eguridu, declined naming the debtor-states. He promised to do so at a press conference he gave, where he appealed to the affected states to pay up or face being named and shamed. All efforts to make the HNO release the names failed, hiding behind the plea by the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF) to give the debtor states more time.

Eguridu, at the press conference yesterday in Lagos, stated that there was a marginal increase in this year’s result when compared to that of last year, where 529, 425 candidates representing 31.28 per cent obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. He said that a total of 1,605, 248 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 1,593,442, consisting of 864,096 males and 729,346 females sat for the examination.

In a breakdown, the HNO said of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, “1,498,069, representing 94.01 per cent have their results fully released, while 95,373, representing 5.99 per cent have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some errors, mainly traceable to the candidates and schools in the course of registration or writing the examination.

Such errors are being corrected by the council to enable the affected candidates get their results fully processed and released subsequently. “Of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, 758, 849, representing 47.62 per cent obtained six credits and above; 949, 862, representing 59.61 per cent obtained five credits and above, while 1,114,988, representing 69.97 per cent obtained credit and above in four subjects.

“In addition, 1, 295,915 candidates, representing 78.81 per cent obtained credit and above in three subjects, while 1, 376,743 candidates, representing 86.40 per cent obtained credit and above in two subjects. However, a total of 616,370 candidates, representing 38.68 per cent, obtained credit in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.”

The WAEC boss disclosed that results of 118,101 candidates, representing 7.41 per cent were being withheld in connection with various cases of examination malpractice. “The cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the Nigerian Examinations Committee (NEC) of the council in due course for consideration.

The committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their schools,” he said. He said that a total number of 109 blind candidates registered for, and sat the examination, from which 20 candidates, representing 18.34 per cent obtained credit in five subjects, including English language and mathematics. He advised candidates who sat for the May/June 2015 WASSCE to check the details of their performances on the council’s results website: www.waecdirect.org within 24 hours. On the fate of government-sponsored candidates, whose governors were yet to pay their registration fees, he said:

“After my pronouncement, a few of the debtor-states responded by paying their debts fully or partially; a few others made promises, indicating their willingness to pay as soon as they are able to do so. Others have not made any efforts in addressing the matter. “After reviewing the situation, the council has decided that the results of government-sponsored candidates of indebted states would be released if such states endeavour to produce bank guarantees, so that the council will be assured that the fees will be paid.

This decision is in appreciation of the general prevailing economic challenges in the country, and in order not to jeopardize the educational careers of the candidates of the indebted states.” Eguridu said that due to the high incidents of loss or missing certificates, the council has introduced “Attestation of Results,” which can be obtained on request, to serve as replacement for lost or missing certificates, since we do not issue certificates twice.”

GUARDIAN