By CHINYERE NWACHUKWU/TUNDE OGUNRINDE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says results of 215,149 candidates are being withheld over alleged various forms of examination malpractices.

The council’s Head of National Office (HNO), Mr Patrick Areghan, made this known at a news conference on Monday in Lagos.

Areghan also said that results of candidates from the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno were among the 1, 538,445 candidates that sat for the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

Areghan described the experience of conducting the examination in Chibok for the first time since the abduction of over 200 girls in the area by Boko Haram insurgents six years ago as “interesting and gratifying”.

According to him, a total of 1,549,740 candidates, registered for the examination from 19,129 recognised secondary schools in the country.

Giving breakdown of the candidates’ performances, the WAEC chief said that results of 215,149 were being withheld in connection with various cases of alleged examination malpractices.

He said the cases were being investigated, adding that reports of the investigations would be presented to the appropriate committee of the council for determination in due course.

“The committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their schools,’’ Areghan, said.

He said that a total of 1, 456, 727 candidates had their results fully processed and released, while 81,718 others have a few of their subjects still being processed due to errors traceable to them.

The WAEC chief said that efforts were on to speedily complete the processing to enable the affected candidates to get their results fully processed and released subsequently.

Areghan added that of the figure that sat for the examination, 1, 338, 348 candidates, representing 86.99 per cent, obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects, that is, with or without English Language and, or Mathematics.

“Also, of the figure that write the examination, 1, 003, 668, representing 65. 24 per cent obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics,’’ he said.

According to him, a total of 4, 280 candidates, with varying degrees of special needs, were registered for the examination, out of which 230 are visually challenged, 745 with impaired hearing and 2,852 with low vision.

He added that 38 others were spastic cum mentally challenged with 58 others that are physically challenged.

“All these candidates with special needs were adequately provided for in the administration of the examination.

“They results of these candidates have been processed and released along with those of other candidates,” he said.

Areghan said that there was an improvement in the result of the candidates, in spite of the challenges that characterised the writing of the examination.

Attributing the achievements to improved facilities and e-learning, he said that candidates who had fulfilled their financial obligation to the council could access their performance on the website.

Areghan said that the examination was also administered to candidates from some schools in Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, where the country’s curriculum for Senior Secondary Schools were being used. (NAN)

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