WAEC releases 13 states results previously withheld

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the withheld results of its candidates who sat for this year’s May/June West African Secondary Certificate Examination, (WASSCE) in 13 states.

The results were withheld by the examination body because of debts.

GCE students being screened

Briefing reporters in Abuja on the development, Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr. Charles Eguridu said as of press time that the result will be uploaded on WAEC’s website in the next 24 hours.

Eguridu explained that the decision to release the results was due to appeals from stakeholders, including parents, the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) and notable Nigerians.

At the meeting was the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, who according to Eguridu, has indicated that the forum will positively resolve the matter as soon as possible.

According to him,  our decision to open this window of opportunity, that is the resort to advance payment guarantees for affected states, was as a result of our appreciation of the prevailing economic challenges facing the nation and in order not to jeopardise the  progress of the candidates of the affected states.

“However, following appeals from our stakeholders, including parents, the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, notable Nigerians, other well -meaning citizens and most importantly, the intervention of secretariat of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, through the directive of its Chairman  and Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, who has indicated that the forum will positively resolve the matter as soon as possible. We have decided to hearken to appeals and review our earlier position’’.

WAEC releases 13 states results previously withheld

Breaking news: WAEC to withhold students’ results in 19 states over N4b debt

The West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC has threatened to withhold the results of students in 19 states that sat for the May/June 2015 WASSCE over nonpayment of candidates’ registration fees by their state governments.

Speaking at its national office Yaba, some hours ago, the Head of National Office, HNO, Mr Charles Eguridu said: “The affected states should off-set the registration fees of their candidates as soon as possible, as we cannot guarantee that the results of their candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE will be released alongside others.”

He said that a total number of 19 states in the country owe the Council in respect of entry fees for states government sponsored candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE noting that some States also still owe the Councils registration fees for the May/June 2014 WASSCE. According to him, the 19 states which are indebted to the tune of N4 billion were not making efforts to pay adding that efforts made by the Councils to get the money from them proved abortive, hence WAEC has resolved to make it public.

Eguridu who declined to mentioned names of the indebted states said, he is given them benefit of the debt, stressing that many of the governors have just assumed office. He however urged the indebted states to pay up within the next two weeks. His words: “Many of the states of the federation, as part of their education policy, pay the registration fees of candidates for the WASSCE, particularly in the public schools.

“This is quite commendable as it afforded many indigent students the opportunity to sit our examinations and relieved many poor parents of this financial burden. “As I speak to you now, we are cash-strapped as a result of the delay in off-setting the registration fees owed the Council by some states. As a result, we are finding it difficult in meeting our financial obligations, particularly to our supervisors, examiners and service providers.

“We have written to the affected states governments without any response. The poor response is threatening the smooth operations of the Council.”

 

Breaking news: WAEC to withhold students’ results in 19 states over N4b debt

Minister, WAEC never warned against conducting exam at Chibok – Borno SSG

Borno State Government, SSG, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda, has faulted claim by the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Ahmed Muazu, that both the Minister of State for education and the WAEC, had written to the governor not to allow exams go on in Chibok, but that the governor insisted.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos yesterday, Jidda, who showed the reporters the purported letters from both the minister and WAEC, challenged Muazu to produce the letters which asked the state government not to conduct exams at Chibok.

The SSG showed the reporters the letter the state government wrote to the Police, asking it to provide security on daily basis, to all exam centres, including the school in Chibok, based on the request made by WAEC.

He said, “there was no where in the letters where they asked us not to conduct exams in Chibok. In any case, the minister does not even have the locus standi to direct the governor on such matters.

We provided logistics as requested by WAEC. We wrote the Police too, to provide security on daily basis, as per the request from WAEC.

“But let me reiterate here that at no time did we receive any letter either from the police, WAEC or even the minister, advising us not to hold the exams in Chibok. At any rate, as at the time of the exams, Chibok was considered as one of the safest locations in the state.

“In actual fact, the minister’s letter only asked that security be provided for WAEC officials in Federal Government Colleges in Borno State. The letter did not request that security be provided for students, let alone Chibok students. So, I see Muazu’s claim as not only ridiculous, but one that smacks of mischief”, the SSG, added.

On the claim by Muazu that the governor was not in the country at the time Jonathan was to visit Chibok, Jidda again said, it was not true.

He said: “The governor went to London for a different purpose and not just to grant interviews. However, as soon as we got information that the President was on his way to France, and would make a stop over in Chibok, my governor cut short his trip to return to Borno. And while we were waiting to receive the President, we got the information that the President’s visit has been called off.”

 

Minister, WAEC never warned against conducting exam at Chibok – Borno SSG

WAEC offences to face criminal prosecution, N200,000 fines and more

A bill that revises upwards the penalties for malpractices in the West African Examinations Council WAEC examinations, has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill seeks to amend the whole of Section 19 of the principal law to include more penalties.

The Executive Bill which was brought before members by the Majority Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola (PDP) was referred to the House Committee on Education by the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal after it was passed Thursday.

While presenting the bill before members, the Majority Leader said the bill is to act as further deterrent to examination malpractices.

According to the lawmaker, because of the high incidences of examination malpractices, the council has thought it fit to amend the whole of Section 19 of the principal law by providing the offences constituting such malpractices to include: “Illegal possession of examination papers; Having for-knowledge of the contents of an examination paper; or Making use of an examination paper or the contents of it/ in any manner whatsoever without lawful authority.

“The Bill also provides through the amendment of Sections 20 and 21of the principal Act, a stiffer penalty of N200.000 fine instead of N2.000 and of course provision for disqualification and prohibition of a candidate, notwithstanding criminal prosecution of such cheaters.”

According to the majority leader, the passage of the bill “will further guarantee the standard of examination which is at its abysmal level at this point in time. There will be examination standardization in Nigeria through the effective supervision by WAEC which hitherto had been eroded.”

Akande – Adeola further said Nigeria is a heavy contributor of fund to the council with considerable number of representatives on it, but is yet to domesticate the 2003 convention.

“Notwithstanding the fact that Nigeria has ratified the convention, Nigeria is the only country out of the five countries constituting the council membership that has not domesticated the convention.”

WAEC offences to face criminal prosecution, N200,000 fines and more