It was yet another sad tale of mass failure as West African Examinations Council (WAEC) yesterday announced the release of the result of the May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Addressing reporters, Head of WAEC National office in Lagos, Mr. Charles Eguridu, disclosed that 1,705,976 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 1,692,435 candidates, consisting of 929,075 males and 763,360 females, sat for the test.

According to him, only 529,425, representing 31.28 per cent, obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

Lamenting the poor result, Eguridu said: “This figure, when compared to the 2012 and 2013 May/June WASSCE diets, shows a marginal decline in the performance of candidates. In May/June 2012 WASSCE, 38.81 per cent of candidates obtained five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics. In 2013, the percentage declined to 36.57 per cent; and this year, we have 31.28 per cent.”

The WAEC chief disclosed that 1,605,613 candidates, representing 94.87 per cent, have their results fully released, while 86,822, representing 5.13 per cent have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some errors, mainly traceable to laxity on the part of the candidates and the 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 as soon as they are ready,” he said.

Eguridu said the results of 145,795 candidates, representing 8.61 per cent, are being withheld in connection with examination malpractices.

“The cases are being investigated and the reports of the investigations will be presented in November to the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC), the highest decision-making organ of the Council on examination-related matters in Nigeria for consideration. The Committee’s decisions will, thereafter, be communicated to the affected candidates through their schools,” he stated.

Eguridu announced that the Council has decided to extend the normal registration period for the November/December 2014 WASSCE to Sunday, August 17, 2014, so as to enable candidates who sat for the last May/June examination, and who may have any deficiencies, to register for the November/December examination diet, if they so wish.

He advised candidates who sat for the May/June 2014 WASSCE to check the details of their performance on the Council’s results website www.waecdirect.org within the next 24 hours.

•Adapted from a Guardian report. Photo shows Head of WAEC National Office in Lagos, Mr. Charles Eguridu.

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