COVID-19 lockdown will not affect students’ performance in WASSCE, stakeholders boast

• Social distancing remains big issue in schools

Stakeholders in the education sector have allayed fear of mass failure in the 2020 West African Examinations Council, (WAEC) due to months of lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will start next Monday according to a comprehensive schedule for various national examinations for exit classes beginning on August 17 to November 18, 2020, as released by the Federal Government.

Since the announcement, there have been concerns that students have a short time to prepare for the exams, the fear of the spread virus also top major discussion by parents and health experts.

Principal, Ifelodun Comprehensive High school, Mushin, Lagos, Olushola Taiwo,
Who spoke on their level of preparedness for the examination and whether the short window provided to study before the exams was enough said, “The outbreak of COVID-19 has helped the serious ones a lot; you can’t predict the students, there are some when you give them till eternity, they will not bother to read, but the serious ones will come top. We started revision last Tuesday and many were quick to answer the questions, which showed they didn’t go home to relax. Success is very good, everybody wants it, but not everybody will get it, the diligent ones will get it. Few of them are very studious and within the few weeks provided, they will come out well. Even without COVID-19, some would still fail.

“If Prof. Wole Soyinka were here to teach English Language, if they don’t go home to read they will fail, performance is on how well you have studied. “

A student, Justina Yakub said, “I am prepared for the examination because it has been a long period we’ve been at home so, they made provision for us to be watching online lessons. We had enough time to read.

“Though, some of us did not use the time judiciously, people like me read and we made very good use of our time, and so I’m good, okay and ready for the exam.

On whether the examination date should be postponed to allow them prepare better, Yakub said noted that postponing it will not be in their best interest.

“We have been at home since March 20 so, it will be hard for us to read if the exam is postponed and some of us may leave school for other things and forget about reading or studying.

Emejuru precious, who is a science student said, “I am 100 per cent prepared because during the lockdown, my parents employed a lesson teacher for me, I also followed the teachings on radio and television.