Lagos- The Registrar, West African Examination Council (WAEC), Dr Iyi Uwadiae, on Tuesday pleaded with the Federal Government to give the examination body an opportunity of conducting the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Uwadiae made the appeal in Lagos at the opening ceremony of the 63rd Annual Council Meeting of the Council.
NAN reports that the BECE examination, for JSS 3 students in Unity Colleges as well as some states in the country, is being conducted by the National Examination Council (NECO).
According to the Registrar, the council is patiently looking for the time when Nigeria will take the advantage of the council’s expertise in the reshaping and conduct of its national examination.
”The examinations conducted by WAEC in the five member countries fall in two categories, the international and the nationals examinations.
”The international examination is the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), conducted for candidates in all the five member countries, while the national examinations are restricted to the respective member countries.
”The council also conducts aptitude tests, selection tests and various examinations on behalf of other examining bodies,” he said.
He noted that in 2014, the council successfully conducted all its scheduled examinations in areas where prevailing security and environmental situations permitted the conduct.
According to him, the Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone presented candidates for May/June and Nov/Dec diets of the 2014 WASSCE, while Liberia presented candidates for the May/June only.
He explained that various national examinations were equally offered to candidates in member countries, except Nigeria.
”The BECE was offered in the Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone while Junior and Senior High School certificate examinations were offered in Liberia.
”We are looking forward to a time when Nigeria will take advantage of the council’s expertise in the reshaping and conduct of its national examination.
”Let me therefore seize this opportunity to appeal to government, through the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, to give us a chance in conducting its BECE .
”I want to assure you that even if you call on us to conduct this year’s BECE which is around the corner, we are ready,” Uwadiae declared.
Giving a breakdown of performance of candidates in the examination in the sub region in 2014, the Registrar said that a total of 2, 450,626 sat for the WASSCE.
He noted that out of this figure, 2, 018,497 candidates sat for the May/June WASSCE conducted for school candidates while 432,129 candidates sat for the Nov/Dec diet of the examination as private candidates.
Uwadiae said that the 2014 candidature showed a decrease of 140,161 candidates when compared to the 2013 figure of 2,590,787 and a decrease of 97,604 candidates compared to the 2012 figure of 2,548,230.
He also gave a further breakdown on country basis, of the figure of candidature for the examination in 2014.
According to him, the Gambia presented 397, 275, Ghana,1,987,751 candidates, Nigeria 5,034, made up school candidates only, Liberia, 45,420 and Sierra Leone 45,420 candidates.
The Registrar said that the council was particularly impressed to report that leakage of question papers did not occur in any of its offices in 2014.
He said however, that it was worrisome that other forms of malpractice featured in the conduct of the council’s examination.
“”The fight against examination malpractice is rigorous and the weapons are expensive.
”The national offices have intensified their efforts at eradicating the malaise through various strategies,” he said.
In his opening remark, the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau lauded the efforts of WAEC in the development of education in the sub region.
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Shekarau, who was represented by Dr Nwaobiala, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, said that the council was, by this year’s meeting, also celebrating 63 years of excellence of education assessment.
”I want you to continue to strive in your efforts in contributing to the development of education in the sub region.
”WAEC has done well and I want to say that in my capacity as the permanent secretary, the issue of BECE in the country is not harmonised and we need to do something about it.
”Perhaps, it would be one if the issues to be revisited during the 2015 summit on education,” he said.
The high point of the event was the award of excellence to three students from Ghana, who came tops in the WASSCE in 2014. (NAN)
