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The Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has taken decisions on over 37,000 candidates who wrote the November / December 2007 West African Senior School Examination (WASSCE) leading to the cancellation of some results.

WAEC Head of National had on February 18, 2008 released the private candidates (WASSCE) results taken by over 378,018 candidates nationwide and announced that the results of about 37,000 were being withheld due to the alleged involvement of the candidates in various forms of examination malpractice

Dr. Uwadiae told newsmen then in Lagos that the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) headed by the Director of Basic and Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education would soon meet to decide the fate of the 37,000 candidates and others.

Addressing newsmen after the 45th meeting of NEC which held for three days in Ibadan, Oyo State, the acting chairman of the committee Chief Nzemeka Olisah said it received and considered reports on the conduct of WASSCE and made recommendations to the Nigeria National Committee, the highest decision making organ of the council.

Chief Olisah, who is also the National President of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), disclosed that the three-day crucial NEC meeting considered the reports of the conduct of the November/December 2007 WASSCE and cases of irregularities during the private candidate exam.

He told newsmen that the committee also considered special cases, clemency cases, petitions, restitution cases and cases referred for further investigation from previous examinations.
Presenting the outcome of the meeting, Chief Olisah revealed that NEC considered irregularity cases which involved about 37,000 candidates who sat for the Nov/Dec 2007 WASSCE and whose results were withheld based on reports of their alleged involvement in exam fraud.

According to the acting chairman of NEC, the cases considered during the meeting included 1,343 cases in English Language and 1,349 cases in Mathematics, among other subjects.
His words: "After due consideration of each case, the committee applied the appropriate sanctions prescribed by the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examination".
Olisah said NEC directed that the entire results of all candidates involved in 5,896 cases be cancelled and the subject results of others involved in 3,866 cases be similarly cancelled.

He disclosed that supervisors and invigilators found to have aided and abetted examination malpractice during the exam were recommended for sanction by the appropriate authorities in their states.
The acting chairman explained that four candidates, who were listed in two separate cases of irregularities, were let off the hook for lack of convincing evidence against them.

According to him, the committee also considered five restitution cases and six clemency cases at the meeting and called on stakeholders to join hands with WAEC in curbing exam fraud.
On candidates performances, he said NEC noted the report that candidates performance was "good" in Visual Art 3, Arabic 2, Building Construction 1, Government 2, Economics 2, Commerce 2, Financial Accounting 2, Typewriting, Shorthand, Clothing and Textiles 2, Physical Education 2, and Woodwork 1 in the Nov/Dec 2007 WASSCE.

It expressed concern over the poor performance of candidates in Geography 1B, Geography 2, Visual Art 1, Music 1A, Literature – In – English 2 and 3 among other subjects.
Olisah said NEC took note of the chief examiners reports which attributed candidates weaknesses to several factors among them are poor knowledge of recommended text, poor grammatical structures, illegible handwriting inadequate preparation towards the examination.

Others are inadequate coverage of the syllabus, spelling errors, poor understanding of the demands of the questions and poor communication as well as quantitative skills.
The 17-man committee accepted the recommendations of the chief examiners that candidates should be conversant with the syllabus and make use of standard textbooks when preparing for the examination.
It recommended that qualified and competent teachers be made to handle the teaching of science subjects in secondary schools, cover the syllabus while candidates must read as well as understand the rubrics before attempting the questions.

Olisah disclosed that parents sponsor their wards to local areas to sit for their examination to aid cheating and even pay for grades and welcome the EFFCC’s move to prosecute exam cheaters.
The Registrar of the Council, Alhaji Mulikat Bello while conducting newsmen round exhibits found on candidates during the Nov/Dec 2007 WASSCE said exam fraud is threatening the foundations of the education sector and requires the attention of stakeholders in tackling the menace.
Alhaji Bello, who flew in from Accra, Ghana for the assignment said Nigeria ranks among the top nations whose students engage in examination fraud and that WAEC is worried about the situation.