The West Africa Examination Council, WAEC, has announced August 16, 2021, for the commencement of the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
The Head of the Nigeria office, Mr. Patrick Areghan, made the announcement in Lagos on Tuesday.
“In accordance with the Final International Timetable, the WASCCE 2021 will take place throughout the sub-region from Monday, 16th August to Friday, 8th October 2021.
“However, the examination will end in Nigeria on 30 September 2021- spanning a period of seven – weeks,” he said.
He said that about 1.6 million candidates are expected to participate in the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
He also said about 25,000 senior teachers would be appointed as supervisors for the examination.
The WAEC boss blamed COVID-19 for the postponement of the examination till August against May/June.
He said, “As I have always said, conducting examination is not a tea party. It is a huge task and requires the collaboration of all critical stakeholders, including the media.
“It requires a lot of preparations and even more, especially in the face of the rising cases of insecurity and the resurgence of coronavirus pandemic in the country.
“In conducting this examination, we also want to ensure that the lives of all those involved, including council’s staff, and materials are properly secure.
“Our arrangement for the successful conduct of our upcoming examination, therefore, is in top gear as we are ensuring that we do not leave any stone unturned,” he said.
He said, “As I have always said, conducting examination is not a tea party. It is a huge task and requires the collaboration of all critical stakeholders, including the media.
“It requires a lot of preparations and even more, especially in the face of the rising cases of insecurity and the resurgence of coronavirus pandemic in the country.
“In conducting this examination, we also want to ensure that the lives of all those involved, including council’s staff, and materials are properly secure.
“Our arrangement for the successful conduct of our upcoming examination, therefore, is in top gear as we are ensuring that we do not leave any stone unturned,” he said.
He noted that West African School Certificate was internationally accepted and required protection of its integrity.
“Therefore, in order not allow anything to reduce that standard, we shall be collaborating with the federal and state ministries of health and education as well as the police and other security agencies.
“This is in a bid to ensure that all precautionary measures are in place before, during and after the examination,” Areghan said.
