VOICE AIR MEDIA, VAM News Update

THE West African Examinations Council, Nigeria, has said it recorded 42.07 per cent pass rate in the first-ever Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2024–First Series.

In a statement made available by the council on Friday, the examination body added that the novel CB-WASSCE entailed using a hybrid method where all questions were projected on the computer.

Meanwhile, the council commenced migration from traditional paper-based examinations to Computer-Based Examinations for its private candidates’ examinations.

It said answers to the multiple-choice questions were supplied on the computer in real-time, and answers to the essay and test of practical questions were supplied in booklets given to the candidates.

The statement revealed that the examination was conducted between Wednesday, January 31 and Saturday, February 17, 2024.

The analysis of candidates’ performance showed that out of the 8,139 candidates that sat the examination, 3,424 candidates representing 42.07 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics).

“The coordination of examiners and marking of candidates’ scripts were carried out at three marking venues in Lagos, Enugu and Kaduna from March 1 to 16, 2024. A total of 459 Examiners participated in the Coordination and Marking Exercise.

“The entry figure of 8,362 candidates showed a 4.30 per cent decrease in candidature when compared with the 2023 entry figure of 8,738. 8,139 candidates sat the examination at 140 CBT centres spread across the country.

“Amongst the candidates that sat the examination, 21 candidates, with varying degrees of Special Needs, were registered for the examination. Out of this number, nine were visually challenged, two had impaired hearing and two were Albinos.

“All these candidates with special needs were adequately catered for in the administration of the examination,” the statement read.