ANALYSIS: Candidates’ Performance Reduces by 7.69% as WAEC Releases 2024 WASSCE Results

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it recorded 7.69 per cent decrease in the performance of candidates who sat for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Compared to last year’s 79.81 per cent, WAEC said the percentage of candidates who obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics this year is 72.12 per cent,

The Head of Nigerian National Office (HNO) of the council, Dr. Amos Dangut, stated this in Lagos Monday while announcing the release of the results for school candidates.

He said the council will investigate the actual cause of the decreased performance.

The HNO also emphasised that the results of candidates who are sponsored by states indebted to the council will not be released now until payment is made. “We appeal to the concerned to do so to enable the affected schools/candidates access their results.”

According to him, 1,814,736 candidates registered for the examination from 25,126 recognised secondary schools in the country, and 1,805,216 candidates sat the examination. He said the examination was also administered to candidates from some schools in Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, where the Nigerian curriculum for senior secondary schools is being used.

He added that 109,115 candidates with varying degrees of special needs registered for the examination. “Out of this number, 145 were visually challenged; 473 had impaired hearing; 44 were spastic cum mentally challenged; and 38 were physically challenged. All these candidates were adequately provided for in the administration of the examination. The results of these candidates have been processed and are also now being released along with those of other candidates.”

Providing further analysis, Dangut stated that out of the total number of candidates that sat the examination in Nigeria, 1,685,889 candidates, representing 93.39% have their results fully processed and released, while 119,327 candidates, representing 6.61% have one or more of their subjects still being processed due to some issues being resolved. “Efforts are, however being made to speedily complete the process and release the affected candidates’ results within a couple of days,” he said.

In terms of performance, he stated that out of the 1,805,216 candidates that sat the examination, 1,332,089, candidates, representing 73.79 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects with or without English Language and/or Mathematics.

Also, 1,301,941 candidates, representing 72.12 per cent, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.”

The HNO added that the results of 215,267 candidates, representing 11.92 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice. “This is 4.37 per cent lower than the 16.29 per cent recorded in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023.”

He stated that the increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools, are other nagging issues, adding that all the cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of the council for consideration and final decisions.

“The committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their various schools, in due course. Candidates affected by these decisions can now call for redress of their malpractice cases if they so wish via https://waecinternational.org/complaints

The HNO said as the results are being uploaded on the results website, candidates should after checking the result online, apply for their digital certificate which will be released 48 hours thereafter. “Candidates who have fulfilled their financial obligations to the council can access their results on the council’s results website: www.waecdirect.org, within the next 12 hours. Copies of the Result Listing will be sent to schools shortly,” he said.