TheNewsGuru

Tag: WASSCE

  • Lagos Govt announces resumption date for JSS 3 students

    Lagos Govt announces resumption date for JSS 3 students

    The Lagos State Government has directed Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 students who are registered for National Examination Council (NECO) Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to resume on Monday.

    An earlier pronouncement issued by the state had directed SS3 and Technical Studies (TEC3) Students to resume on Aug. 3, to enable them revise and sit for their forthcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and NABTEB.

    The Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, said only those students who are registered for NEC, BECE scheduled to begin on the Aug. 24 are permitted to resume.

    Adefisayo also said that other JSS 3 students awaiting to write BECE organised by the Lagos State Examinations Board would soon be informed of the scheduled dates of their examination.

    The commissioner said that administrators of both public and private schools are expected to ensure full compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines for schools re-opening in their respective schools.

    She said that the State Government’s officials will be on ground to monitor situations in all schools across the State.

    She encouraged students to be fully prepared for the forthcoming examinations and devote more time to their studies.

    She urged students and members of staff to adhere strictly to proper hygienic guidelines and ensure the provision of sanitizer, wash hand basin, thermometers.

    She said other essential items in public and private schools across the State, stressing that the washing of hands, wearing of face masks and the maintenance of social distancing must be adhered.

  • WASSCE: Lagos reopens schools

    WASSCE: Lagos reopens schools

    Lagos State Government has approved the reopening of schools for Senior Secondary School 3 pupils to write the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination.

     

    TheNewsGuru recalls that the Federal Government announced during the week that the examination organized by the West African Examinations Council would start from August 17.

     

    Giving an update on the development on Saturday at a briefing, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said, “Regarding our secondary schools, they will be opened from the 3rd of August and they will only be reopened to our SSS3 students and JSS3 students only.

    “This, we believe, will allow them to participate in revision classes two weeks before the 2020 WAEC examination has been stated to start from the 17th of August.

     

    “Both boarding and day students will be allowed to resume from Monday, the 3rd of August. All standard precautions will be put in place by our various school authorities – handwashing, physical distancing, and all of that.

     

     

     

    “The Lagos State Government will also be making available face masks to all of our students on the first day of their resumption to ensure that there is adequate and full compliance.”

     

     

     

  • JUST IN: Ogun Govt directs all secondary school teachers to resume Aug. 3

    JUST IN: Ogun Govt directs all secondary school teachers to resume Aug. 3

    Ogun government has directed all secondary school teachers in the state to resume on Monday, Aug. 3 ahead of the West African Senior Secondary Schools Examination (WASSCE) scheduled for Aug. 17.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, gave this directive in Abeokuta on Friday.

    Soyombo quoted Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun as saying that the aim was to enable the teachers work with their principals in preparation for students’ resumption on Aug. 4.

    Abiodun said the directive was for teachers in public and private schools to enable them assist in the distribution of materials provided by the state government for the examinations.

    He said all guidelines stipulated by the government for the students’ resumption were to be followed strictly by all school administrators.

    He enjoined all stakeholders to cooperate with the state government to ensure safe return to schools.

    “The Ogun state government wishes to inform the general public that all Senior Secondary School Three students both in the public and private schools will resume to school on August 4 in readiness for an intensive revision classes ahead of their WASSCE.

    “The revision exercise is being put in place to cover the academic gaps and lapses for students that could not follow the virtual classes tagged Ogundigiclass put in place by the state government while they were at home.

    “The concerned students are to resume to their individual schools on Tuesday, August 4,” he said.

  • WASSCE: If You Can Hold Elections, Students Can Take Exams – OpenFees Tells FG

    WASSCE: If You Can Hold Elections, Students Can Take Exams – OpenFees Tells FG

    OpenFees, an Abuja-based non-governmental organisation that caters for the basic education of indigent students has said if politicians can hold elections following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, it should also be possible for final year students to take their exams.

     

    The group asked the Federal Government and other stakeholders to “stop the politics and take a stand” on the 2020 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for the sake of students whose future is at stake.

     

    In a statement on Sunday, OpenFees said, “Science, technology and rigorous enforcement of hygiene and social distancing rules are already making it possible for schools elsewhere to reopen gradually and there is no reason why we can’t use that here.”

     

     

    In addition, the statement said, “We are particularly concerned that JSS 3 and SS 3 students in public schools most of who have not had significant learning, because of poor access to online resources would have to wait for another year before taking their final exams.

     

    “If government can invest half the time and resources itwants to use to conduct elections, in spite of COVID-19, to provide safe environment for students, it should be possible for these final year students to take their exams without too much difficulty.”

     

    The statement said even though the Ministry of Education issued a statement on Thursday that Nigeria would consult with the four other West African countries in WAEC and possibly hold the examination in September, “there remains a heavy cloud of uncertainty and doubt over the government’s commitment.”

     

    “We note for example,” the statement continued, “that governors of the 19 northern states in Nigeria have yet to officially change their position that WAEC will not hold this year, while governors of the six South-west states have said they will go ahead and all of this is happening at a time when Federal Ministry of Education is supposed to have issued a COVID-19 compliance testing notice to schools.”

     

    The statement said the overriding interest should be the safety and wellbeing of students and that while delay is inevitable, it is possible to learn from and use the experiences of countries where schools are already reopening.

  • WASSCE: Private schools proprietors speak on suspended exam

    WASSCE: Private schools proprietors speak on suspended exam

    The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), has appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its stand on the suspension of 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSSCE).

    The National President of the association, Mr Yomi Otubela, made the plea at a virtual news conference on Monday in Lagos.

    Otubela said that reconsideration of the WAEC organised WASSCE and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) by the National Examination Council (NECO), was to ensure emotional wellbeing of the already traumatised students.

    He said that private schools under NAPPS were ready to resume with strict adherence to the safety protocols as rolled out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    “To avoid emotional trauma, the SS3 students will be subjected to as a result of the cancellation of the WASSCE, we advise government to deploy the services of clinical psychologists.

    “This is to evaluate the state of minds of these students, whenever they are ready to sit for these examinations, due to mental trauma that will arise as a result of the suspension.

    “We are talking about the rigorous preparations put in by the students and knowing full well, that their counterparts in other countries will write the ex examinations,” he said.

    According to him, there is need to avoid a situation where Nigerian students would be forced to seek an alternative way of writing these examinations, by approaching neighbouring countries such as Ghana.

    “It will not be good for the image of the country.

    “As a result of a prolonged closure, majority of students may likely lose interest in education and embrace social vices inimical to their wellbeing and public safety as well,” he said.

    Otubela said that, after announcement of the suspension of the examinations, parents of students in private schools had started approaching management of schools to demand for refund of the fees paid for their children’s WASSCE.

    “Private schools had already remitted money to the examination bodies.

    “Their reasons are premised on the decision to utilise the refunds to approach other neighbouring countries, so that their children can sit for 2020 WASSCE outside the country,” the president said.

    He added that they were willing to have a meeting with the Minister of Education and other stakeholders, to assure them of the safety protocols that had been put in place in private schools, to ensure safety of students nationwide.

    “Our call today is meant for all the transitional students, both in the private and public schools, to resume early enough, for revision before the examination dates.

    “A task force can be instituted by both the Federal and State Governments to monitor and ensure strict compliance, during the conduct of the examinations.

    “This is considering the level of success achieved so far with the reopening of the airports for domestic flights, through strict adherence to safety protocols for passengers.

    “We are sure that the same level of success will be recorded, when schools are reopened,” Otubela said

    He added that the NAPPS had engaged the Federal Government, through the Economic Sustainability Committee, on the need to support private schools to cushion the effect of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the sub-sector.

    “Our justification for requesting palliatives from the Federal Government was borne out of the fact of the abrupt closure of schools by the government to protect students in the country from the outbreak of the disease.

    “For this reason, the recent announcement of the approval of N2.3 trillion stimulus package to support businesses by the Federal Government, with the inclusion of private schools, is a welcome development.

    “NAPPS, therefore, appreciates the Federal Government for the swift response. We are hopeful that government will soon release guidelines for private schools to benefit from this support.

    “NAPPS is equally appreciative of the single loan digit approved by the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s N5O billion COVID-19 intervention funds,” Otubela said.

    He said NAPPs serves as the umbrella body and voice of private school owners in the country.

    The president said that his members would ensure strict adherence to the safety protocols recommended by NCDC to prevent spread of the disease, within the school environment.

    “Some of the safety protocols recommended include: provision of running water, soap for handwashing, provision of Infra-red thermometers to monitor staff, students and visitors’ temperature.

    “Enforcement of face mask, provision of sick bay to be managed by qualified health personnel and others,” Otubela said.

  • Why Nigerian students should write 2020 WASCE – VC

    Why Nigerian students should write 2020 WASCE – VC

    There will be grave consequences if Nigerian students failed to participate in the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the Vice-Chancellor, Trinity University, has said.

    Prof. Charles Ayo, also a former Vice-Chancellor of Covenant University, made this known in an interview with the NAN on Sunday in Ota, Ogun.

    The Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, had on July 7, said that Nigerian students would not be participating in the 2020 WASSCE.

    Ayo said that the non-participation of students in the 2020 WASSCE would affect the admission of students into tertiary institutions.

    “However, there is wisdom on the part of government. The outbreak of COVID-19 during the period is better imagined than experienced.

    “And since the entire country is involved, it is obvious that there be a delay in having the examination and not outright cancellation.

    “Therefore, it is better for the Federal Government to thread on the part of caution than to allow our students to fall victims of the disease,” he said.

    Ayo advised the Federal Government to intensify efforts in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic so that students could go back to school.

    The vice chancellor stressed the need for the Federal Government to ensure compliance with all the WHO precautionary measures to further curb the spread of COVID-19.

    Ayo said that delay in taken the 2020 WASSCE examinations would lead to prolonged 2020/2021 admission exercise.

  • WAEC restricts exam towns for WASSCE second series

    WAEC restricts exam towns for WASSCE second series

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has opened registration for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2020 – Second Series with a note to candidates to check the examination towns’ list before registering.

     

    According to the advert for the examination signed by the Council’s Head of National Office (HNO), Mr. Patrick Areghan, 36 subjects would be examined during the examination, which does not have a fixed date yet because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

     

    Usually, the examination holds between August and October every year.

     

    The online registration is open until July 31, 2020.

     

    However, Areghan warned interested candidates to find out if their preferred location would be listed as examination towns as only urban centres would be used for the examination.

     

    “The examination will be urban-based and will be conducted at a period to be announced in due course. Thirty-Six (36) subjects would be available for the examination. Intending candidates are advised to visit the Council’s corporate website – www.waecnigeria.org to confirm available examination towns and subjects before obtaining the registration PIN,” he said.

     

    Lagos has the highest number of examination towns listed – 27 – followed by Ogun with 16, and Rivers State with 13.

     

    While registration for the examination cost N13,950, those who register after the deadline as ‘walk-in candidates, would have to pay N30,500 to write the examination as long as they register a day before the paper they desire to write.

     

     

     

    “Candidates, who wish to register for the examination after the close of entries may be accommodated as ‘Walk-in-Candidates’, provided they register not less than twenty four hours to the scheduled time of the paper(s) they intend to write. The ‘Walk-in-Candidates’ fee is N30, 500.00 only.

     

    The HNO said once candidates access the site, they must conclude their registration

  • Students attack teachers for not allowing them cheat in WASSCE

    Students attack teachers for not allowing them cheat in WASSCE

    Final year students of Zabzugu Senior High School in the Zabzugu District, Ghana, have attacked their teachers with stones and other dangerous weapons for not allowing them to cheat in their final year examination.

    According to Adomonline, the angry students vandalised school properties, smatched doors, television sets, and windows. They said it was their right to copy or send texts books into the examination hall.

    A student who did not want his name mentioned said, “Even though they did not have any pact with their teachers to allow them to cheat, they were reliably informed that teachers from other schools aid their students by allowing them to copy.”

    A terrified teacher of the school while confirming the attack said the only crime they (teachers) committed was not allowing the students to copy during the West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. He added that he was only alive because he didn’t take refuge in his house because the students went to his house with stones.

    He said, “The students felt they had a right to send their notebooks and textbooks to the examination hall, a right they the teachers are yet to come across in any of the examination regulations.
    “As a result, the students mobilized themselves and stormed the school, vandalizing properties and threatening to kill any teacher they came across.”

    The teachers have therefore vowed not to supervise or invigilate the rest of the exams unless heavy security was provided.

    But the District Chief Executive of Zabzugu Hon. Iddi Ahmed is has called on authorities to ensure that the problem between the students and the teachers is resolved.

  • WASSCE leaked papers: WAEC compiles list of erring supervisors for sanctions

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is compiling a list of supervisors who worked against the ongoing May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), for sanctions by relevant authorities.

    The council’s Head of Public Affairs Unit, Mr Damianus Ojijeogum, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.

    According to him, investigations revealed that the supervisors photo-shopped previous examination papers and forwarded same to operators of rogue websites, who in turn, swindled gullible candidates.

    “Our investigations also revealed that some school heads, invigilators, supervisors and candidates who succeeded in smuggling mobile phones and other electronic devices into examination halls, snapped the questions after the examination had commenced, and forwarded same to their collaborators for solutions.

    “We have been compiling a list of all supervisors found wanting; at the end of the entire exercise, we shall forward their names to ANCORPS and the ministry of education for proper disciplinary measures.

    “Such persons are not staff of WAEC; we shall blacklist them for good,” Ojijeogu said.

    He said that `this cheating by any means’ could be described as examination leakage as being reported by some mass media.

    “Question papers for the ongoing WASSCE did not leak as has been erroneously portrayed by a section of the media.

    “Leakage can be said to have occurred when questions get into the hands of some individuals who are not supposed to have them before the scheduled time.

    “No such case has been established since the commencement of this examination.

    “Rather than term it as leakage, it is correct to describe it as malpractice which we are committed to tackling.

    “We want to assure the general public that the integrity of our examination is a top priority to the council, and we remain committed in ensuring that it remains so,” he said.

    Ojijeogu said WAEC was deploying resources to introduce new techniques to protect its examinations.

    “We are all aware that one of the greatest challenges facing the education sector is examination malpractice.

    “On our part, we shall continue to do all we can to ensure that this ugly trend is checked.

    “We want to commend security agencies, especially the police, for partnering with us in an effort to expose and check the cankerworm,” he said.

    Ojijeogu said such partnership led to arrest of some men in Lagos found to be operating the rogue websites to defraud unsuspecting candidates.

    He added that the collaboration assisted the council to apprehend a syndicate at various locations in 2017.

    Ojijeogu solicited more support from members of the public to rid the education sector of examination malpractice.

    “Council will always be ahead in deploying cutting edge technologies that will defy malpractice no matter how hard the perpetrators try.

    “We will not compromise standards because we have come a long way; our integrity is key,” he said.

  • 2018 WASSCE papers did not leak, says WAEC

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said none of its papers in the ongoing May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) leaked before schedule.

    Rather, the Council explained that fraudulent supervisors, invigilators and candidates likely sent pictures of questions during live exams to rogue website to treat and send answers to their subscribers.

    The clarification was in reaction to a recent media report on examination malpractice syndicates which claimed to provide leaked question papers and answers for candidates writing the current examination.

    In a statement made available by the WAEC Director of Public Affairs, Mr Demianus Ojijeogu, the Council said:

    “The Council would like to emphasize that the question papers for the ongoing WASSCE for School Candidates , 2018 did not leak as has been erroneously portrayed in the media.

    “Leakage can be said to have occurred when the question papers gets into hands of individuals who are not supposed to have them before the time scheduled on the timetable. Without any iota of doubt the Council wishes to state that no case of leakage has been established since the beginning of the examination.

    “Our monitoring and investigations of the ongoing examination have established the fact that certain School Principals, Invigilators, Supervisors

    and Candidates who had succeeded in smuggling mobile phones and other electronic devices into the examination hall, snap the question papers after the examination must have commenced and forward to their criminal collaborators who in turn provide solutions to the questions and send to

    their subscribers via rogue websites, sms, WhatsApp and other social media.”

    The Council also praised the police for arresting some exam malpractice fraudsters and called for further partnership with telecoms operators and others to catch malpractice syndicates.

    “The Council is willing to collaborate with well meaning Nigerians, Civil Society Groups, Corporate Organisations that are ICT Inclined, Telecom Companies, States Ministries of Education, Deposit Money Banks, relevant Security Agencies, the Media and other stakeholders to neutralize the threat being posed by examination malpractice to education in Nigeria,” the statement said.