WAEC Supervisors, Invigilators, School Proprietors, Principals in Police web over Exam Malpractice

The Head of National Office of WAEC, Mr. Patrick Areghan (Middle) while announcing the 2023 WASSCE for school candidates in Lagos.

Supervisors, invigilators, school proprietors, and principals caught in the act of aiding and abetting examination malpractice during the conduct of the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for school candidates are being investigated by the Police.

The Head of National Office of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, Mr. Patrick Areghan made this known in Lagos while announcing the release of results of candidates that sat the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for school candidates.

He said that the perpetrators of the examination fraud were caught in Abia, Borno, Imo, Ogun and Oyo States while snapping and posting examination question papers online.

He stressed that while the examination fraudsters were being investigated by the police, WAEC on its part through the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC), would mete out appropriate sanctions to the affected supervisors through the various State Ministries of Education.

The WAEC Boss in Nigeria also said that the activities of rogue website operators and the so-called miracle centres reared their ugly heads during the conduct of the examination.

Mr. Areghan explained that WAEC was able to identify and apprehend the fraudulent website operators and those in charge of miracle centres through the help of security operatives.

Speaking on the performance of candidates in the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for school candidates, Mr. Areghan said that out of the One Million, Six Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Three (1,613,733) candidates that sat the examination, One Million, Two Hundred and Eighty-Seven, Nine Hundred and Twenty (1,287,920) candidates, representing 79.81%, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

He said that candidates’ performance in this years examination was an improvement on that of last year where candidates that obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, was 76.36%.

The Head of National office of WAEC in Nigeria also announced that the results of Two Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Three (262,803) candidates, representing 16.29% of the total number of candidates that sat the examination were withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.

Mr. Areghan however, said that only candidates that had fulfilled their financial obligations to the council could access their results on WAEC website.

He stressed that the results of candidates sponsored by States that were indebted to the Council would not be released until they pay WAEC.

Mr, Aretha appealed to parents, teachers and other education stakeholders to join hands with WAEC in fighting examination malpractice in the country.