The West African Examinations Council has released the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination results for school and withheld the results of 365,564 candidates in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.

While announcing the release of the results on Monday at the WAEC office, Yaba,  Head of Nigeria National Office, Mr Patrick Areghan, said students’ preparations for the examinations were poor, adding that candidates were no longer ready to learn.

He explained that the 365,564 candidates represented 22.83% of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, saying the number was 11.74% higher than the 10.9% recorded in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2021.

Areghan said, ‘‘Reasons for this are not far-fetched.  Candidates are no longer ready to learn.  Preparations for examinations are poor.  There is over-reliance on the so-called ‘Expo’, which is actually non-existent.  Candidates simply got frustrated when they got into the examination hall and discovered that all they had celebrated was fake. This has pitiably led to some of them failing the examination, which if they had relied on themselves and studied hard, would have passed like many others.’’

While giving the performance analysis, he revealed that  88.04% of the candidates who sat the 2022 WASSCE obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects (i.e with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics and 76.36% obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

Areghan revealed that a total of 1,607,981 candidates registered for the examination from 20,222 recognised secondary schools in the country, adding that of the number that registered for the examination, 1,601,047 candidates sat the examination.

“The analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates in the examination shows that out of the 1,601,047 candidates that sat the examination, 1,409,529 candidates, representing 88.04%, obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects (i.e with or without English Language and/ or Mathematics;

“ 1,222,505 candidates, representing 76.36%, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.”

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

“The results are being uploaded on the results website.  Candidates who sat the examination and who have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Council can access their results on the Council’s results website within the next twelve hours.

“Copies of the Result Listing will be sent to schools shortly.  I need not restate the fact that the results of candidates who are sponsored by States indebted to the Council will not be released now until they pay up.  We appeal to them to do so to enable the affected schools/candidates to access their results.”

He lamented that the increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and non-adherence to registration deadline were nagging issues.

‘‘This was perhaps the highest headache the Council encountered on the road to the conduct of the examination.  Some schools simply ‘slept off’ and failed to do the needful.

‘‘Some failed to upload their students’ CASS at the stipulated time and many failed to meet registration deadlines, to the extent that some schools ended up not presenting their students for the examination.  Yet, some who registered their students offline failed to upload their entries!  Again, others failed to meet deadlines due to criminal ‘shopping’ for candidates.  By the time they realized it, the window had closed,’’ said Areghan.

The Punch