Private candidates to take WASSCE twice a year

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) yesterday announced plans to start the conduct of a second diet for prospective private candidates starting from 2018.

This means that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will hold three times in a year: May-June primarily for school-based candidates; November –December and January-February for private candidates.

Addressing reporters at the international office of the council in Lagos, the Registrar, Iyi Uwadiae, said the development became necessary to address the growing concern of stakeholders on alleged discrimination against private candidates.

At the conference which was attended by the council’s Head of Nigeria national office, Mr Olu Adenipekun and other top officials, Uwadiae said the move was aimed at ameliorating the agony of endless waiting by private candidates who desired another attempt at WASSCE.

He said, “Due to the fact that WASSCE for school candidates comes up first each year and the result is released ahead of the conduct of same examination for private candidates, school candidates who wish to retake the examination usually have the opportunity of doing so. With the growing concern of stakeholders over perceived denial of same opportunity against their private counterparts, there has been a wave of agitation, criticism and appeal across the sub-region for the council to find a way of ameliorating the agony of long waiting experienced by the private candidates.’’

The registrar noted that the long wait by private candidates is often responsible for examination malpractices at examination centres. On whether the council is fully prepared for its new task, Uwadiae said WAEC has the needed manpower, technical know-how and structure for the commencement of the new diet. He also reviewed the activities of the council in the last few years and concluded that the body has improved over time, in terms of subjects and spread.