The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says its attention has been drawn to a media report stating that a youth forum has called for the rejection of the planned Computer Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for Private Candidates-First Series, 2024.
In a statement issued by the Public Affairs Department and signed by the acting Head of Public Affairs, WAEC, Moyosola Adesina, the Council said the examination will be conducted by WAEC Nigeria and is scheduled to hold between January 31 and February 17, 2024.
It noted that the agitation for the rejection of the CB-WASSCE was in response to an earlier media report in which WAEC purportedly announced that it had ditched the Paper and Pencil Testing model and had adopted the Computer Based Testing model for the conduct of the School Candidates’ Examination.
”For the avoidance of doubt, the West African Examinations Council hereby states unequivocally, that it had never announced the adoption of the Computer Based Testing model for the conduct of the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2024; therefore, the media report under reference is false and misleading.
“Recall that a Press Release was issued in November 2023 stating that plans had been concluded for WAEC Nigeria to conduct its first-ever examination using the Computer Based Testing model in the upcoming WASSCE for Private Candidates- First Series, 2024” the statement read.
The statement referenced an interview published by Punch Newspaper on November 30, 2023, where the Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, confirmed that the Computer Based Testing model would not be applied to the WASSCE for School Candidates just yet.
He stated that there was still a lot to be done to equip schools with the needed infrastructure, resources, and adequately trained manpower to engage and cooperate with WAEC for the conduct of CB-WASSCE for School Candidates.
Dangut also clarified 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 in urban areas.
”WAEC has on several platforms, outlined the mode for taking the upcoming CB-WASSCE and put measures in place to ensure that candidates, the examination environment, and the general public are adequately sensitised on the requirements and outlay for the examination.
”Candidates are hereby reminded that all Multiple Choice (Objective) questions will be delivered (posted) and answered on the computer while Essay (Theory and Practical) questions will be delivered (posted) on screen, for candidates to answer questions of their choice in provided Answer Booklets” it noted.
WAEC also said it is not unaware of possible challenges that may be encountered by candidates during the conduct of the examination.
”To this end, a trial test and a free mock examination have been scheduled to take place on WAEC’s designated platforms for prospective candidates, whether secondary school students or out-of-school individuals, to familiarise themselves with the testing environment, before the commencement of the WASSCE for Private Candidates – First Series, 2024.
”Notification for the mock examination will be sent to prospective candidates through their emails, while announcements for the scheduled mock examination will also be made through mainstream and new media.
”In addition, candidates are also advised to visit WAEC Nigeria’s website and social media spaces for relevant information and guidelines on how to navigate the CB-WASSCE platform”.
