The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has affirmed that forthcoming diet of the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) for private candidates will be conducted on digital platform, that is, Computer Based Examination (CBE) this February.

The Council, however, clarified that the Computer-Based Examination (CBE) is, for the time being, limited to the private candidates.

WAEC Further explained that had not decided when to incorporate the May\June examination diet (WASSCE) for school candidates into the digital based system.

This affirmation has been made in a release made available to education journalists on Monday by Mrs Moyosola, Adesina, the Council’s spokesperson.

The authoritative statement credited to the Head of National Office WAEC Nigeria, Dr Amos Dangut, says that the clarification has become necessary in order to further enlighten the prospective candidates and members of the public on the forthcoming First-series exam and the CB-WASSCE mode.

According to the HNO, the attention of WAEC was drawn to a recent media report credited to a youth forum calling for the rejection of the planned CBT exam for private candidates on the basis that such would also be extended to the school-based diet which he said was a misleading falsehood.

Mr Dangut reiterated that there was never a time that WAEC made such an announcement regarding the claim.

He further explained that WAEC still has a lot to do on equipping schools with the needed infrastructure, resources including adequate training of the requisite manpower to handle the conduct of the CBT exam for school candidates, who are always in large number.

He pointed out that the introduction of CB-WASSCE is currently exclusive to the First Series of the Private Candidates’ examination which, since its inception, has been conducted only in urban centres and with relatively few candidates.

He explained again the modalities for the exam, saying candidates would only have their Multiple Choice (Objective) questions and answers on computer while Essay (Theory and Practical) questions would be viewed on computer for candidates to write their answers to their choice questions in answer booklets provided.

He said while WAEC Is not unaware of possible challenges that may come up during the exam, the examining body has decided to conduct a free mock exam scheduled to take place on WAEC’s designated platforms for willing candidates who may either still be in school or already passed out of secondary school.

She noted that the free gesture was to serve as trial test for candidates to familiarise themselves if not yet, with the online exam environment ahead of the actual exam.

He said notification for the mock exam would be sent to them via their emails while sheduled dates and times would be announced later through mainstream and new media.

He added, “We also want the prospective candidates to visit our website and social media handles for relevant information and guidelines that would help them in the conduct of the CB-WASSCE exam.”

WAEC boss noted that the council had done it own work well to conduct a hitch-free exam, noting that all the CBT centres including the ones at its designated branch and zonal offices nationwide have been checked for their suitability for the CBT exam.

He stated that WAEC, as the Africa’s foremost examining body, would continue to conduct credible examinations for its candidates. (Daily Independent)

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