Steady improvement as WAEC releases 2017 May/June results

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

• 59.22% pass English, Mathematics
• 214,952 results withheld over cheating
The era of ‘mass failure,’ which often characterises the performance of Nigerian candidates in the yearly West African Senior School Examinations (WASSCE) seems to be going into extinction, as the West African Examination Council (WAEC) recorded yet another improvement in the 2017 May/June WASSCE.
A summary of the result as announced yesterday by the council’s Head of National Office, Mr. Olu Adenipekun, showed that 923,486 candidates representing 59.22 per cent obtained a minimum of credits in five subjects and above including English Language and Mathematics.
The percentage of candidates who attained this feat in 2014, 2015 and 2016 diets were 31.28 per cent, 38.68 per cent and 52.97 per cent respectively.Adenipekun attributed the success recorded so far to the council’s “Achievement Test,” which examines and reviews the candidates’ technical know-how, teachers’ qualification and the syllabus. He added that candidates on their part have also displayed hard work.
“Also with the upgrade of the council’s ICT facilities, particularly the recently commissioned “HP Converged System – a Private Cloud,” the capability of the council’s ICT has now been enhanced. With the progressive review of our processes and procedures backed with the determination of the entire workforce of the council to serve the Nigerian child better and faster, the early release of the results of the 2017 WASSCE has been made possible.”
Assuring that candidates results will keep getting better by the year, he pledged that efforts are in top gear to ensure release of results within 45 days and also to commence computer-based-test for schools that have prepared their candidates and are ready to adopt computer test examination.
Giving a further breakdown, Adenipekun said 1,567,016 candidates registered for the examination out of which 1,559,162 sat for the examination. Of this, 829,853 were male, while 729,309 were female, representing 53.22 per cent and 46.27 per cent respectively.
Out of the number that sat for the examination, 1,490,356 candidates, representing 95.59 per cent obtained credits and above in two subjects; 1,436,024 candidates representing 92.44 per cent obtained credits and above in three subjects; 1,357,193 candidates representing 87.05 per cent obtained credits and above in four subjects; 1,243,772, representing 79.77 per cent obtained credits and above in five subjects; while 1,084,214 candidates representing 69.54 per cent obtained credits and above in six subjects.
“Out of the number that sat for the examination, 1,471,151 candidates representing 94.36 per cent have their results fully processed and released, while 95,734 candidates representing 5.64 per cent have a few of their subjects still being processed due to errors traceable to the candidates.The results of 214,952 candidates representing 13.79 per cent are being withheld in connection with cases of examination malpractice.” He advised candidates to check their results on the council’s website: www.waecdirect.org within the next few hours.