WAEC releases 2021 SSCE result with 81.7% obtaining five credits and above including English and Mathematics

• announces increase in exam fees to N18,000

The West African Examinations Council, (WAEC) has released the result of 2021 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) with 1,274,784) candidates, representing 81.7 per cent obtaining credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

According to Patrick Areghan, Head of National Office of the Council, of this number, 630,138 i.e. 49.43 per cent were male candidates, while 644,646, that is 50.57 per cent were female candidates.

“The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2020, that is, those who obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, was 65.24%. Thus, there is an appreciable 16.46% improvement in performance in this regard.”

“The examination spanned seven weeks, between August 16 and October 8, 2021. Throughout the period, we were faced with serious security challenges in the South East (IPOB and ESN sit-at-home order) and banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, etc, in the north and other parts of the country. All these, coupled with the continuous effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, made the whole exercise an Herculean one’

“Of great worry here is the activities of rogue-website operators and some other social media platforms, who post examination questions online immediately after the commencement of the paper being administered. The increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools, are other big concerns. All the cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate Committee of the Council for determination in due course.”

Meanwhile, the Council used the opportunity of announcing the result of the election to disclose that it has increased registration fees for school candidates for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) from N13,950 to N18,000, beginning from 2022.

Areghan disclosed this while announcing the release of results of the 2021 WASSCE for school candidates on Monday in Lagos.

Areghan said the increment was due to un-abating spiral inflation in the country, worsened devastating effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“As can be seen, in the general cost of doing business and the multiplier effect of insecurity in the country which have consequential effects on the cost of our operations, it is no longer possible to continue to provide services with the current fee of N13,950 per candidate.

“We have received approval from the appropriate quarters with effect from the WASSCE for School Candidates 2022 to charge N18,000 per candidate.

“We are, therefore, asking all schools principals to collect N18,000 per candidate for registration.

“Any amount beyond this ceiling will not be to our consent or knowledge and will definitely not come to the purse of the West African Examinations Council,” Areghan warned.

The WAEC boss noted that a part of the new fees would go into remunerations enhancement for the various examination functionaries with effect from 2022 as approved by the council’s Governing Board.