By Milcah Tanimu
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that the results of 215,267 candidates from the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) have been withheld due to concerns over examination malpractice. This figure represents approximately 11.92% of the 1,805,216 candidates who sat for the exam.
The 2024 WASSCE, which spanned from April 30 to June 24, was administered across WAEC member countries: Nigeria, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC’s Nigeria Office, revealed this decision during a briefing on Monday. He attributed the withheld results to various instances of cheating and other forms of malpractice. However, he also noted a positive trend: the percentage of withheld results in 2024 is 4.37% lower than the previous year’s figure of 16.29%.
Dr. Dangut reaffirmed WAEC’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of its examinations. He cautioned that any involvement in malpractice by schools, supervisors, teachers, or candidates could lead to severe consequences.
The ongoing issue of malpractice has been a significant challenge for WAEC. Dr. Dangut pointed out that the illegal use of mobile phones and organized cheating schemes are major concerns. He assured that all reported cases are under thorough investigation, with findings to be reviewed by the Council’s committee.
Candidates will be informed of the committee’s decisions through their schools, and WAEC has provided a platform on its website for candidates to appeal these decisions if they choose.
In more positive news, Dr. Dangut reported that 73.79% of candidates achieved credit or higher in at least five subjects, including English Language and/or Mathematics. This translates to 1,332,089 successful candidates.
He advised successful candidates to apply for their Digital Certificates, which will be available 48 hours after checking their results online. Candidates who have fulfilled their financial obligations can access their results on WAEC’s official website within the next 12 hours. Schools will also receive copies of the Result Listing soon.
The release of the 2024 WASSCE results concludes a comprehensive evaluation process. Despite the challenges in upholding examination integrity, WAEC remains dedicated to assessing and advancing educational standards across West Africa.
