70 percent of candidates fail WAEC exams

Over 70 per cent of the candidates who sat for the 2009 November/December West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations failed both English and Mathematics, WAEC announced in Lagos yesterday.

For about five years now candidates have been recording mass failure in WAEC's May/June and November/December diets. Just in the last May/June diet over one million candidates failed the examinations. Announcing the results of the 2009 November/December examinations in Lagos yesterday, the Head of National Office of WAEC Dr. Iyi Uwadiae said out of the 342,443 candidates who sat for the examinations, only 106,413, representing 31 per cent, obtained credits in English Language, Mathematics and at least three other subjects.

According to Dr. Uwadiae, over 70 per cent of the candidates only managed to pass between two and six subjects at credit level but without both English and Mathematics or without either of the two subjects. He said the results of 57,792 candidates, representing 16.87 per cent, were still being withheld based on various reports of their alleged involvement in examination malpractice.

The WAEC head said all reports on cases of involvement in examination malpractice were being compiled for presentation to the Nigeria Examinations Committee of WAEC which is going to act on it in February.

"Out of the total number of candidates who sat the examination, however, 106, 413 candidates, representing (31.0%) obtained credits in both English and Mathematics and at least three other subjects.

"Similarly, statistics show that 265,335 candidates representing 77.48 % have two credits and above; 230, 351 candidates (67.2%) have three credits and above; and 192, 806 candidates (56.30%) have four credits and above. The results of 57,792 candidates, representing 16.87 % are being withheld based on various reports of their alleged involvement in examination malpractice", he said.

He reiterated the council's policy of zero tolerance for examination malpractice, saying WAEC would continue to withhold results of those found guilty of malpractice in any of its exams. He blamed the poor performance of students in public examinations on parents, saying they had continuously failed to monitor their children's performances at school.

Daily Trust