A total of 1,613,733 candidates sat the examination, out of which 1,287,920 (representing 79.81%) obtained credits and above in at least five mandatory subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, which is a marginal increase from that of 76.36% of last year.

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Meanwhile, candidates will have the opportunity for the first time in the history of WAEC to from 12 hours from now access their results online and also download the digital copies of their certificates on the council’s website while same will still send to their schools later.

Furthermore, no fewer than eight states including Niger out of the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory which are yet to pay for their candidates’ exam fees in full would have their candidates’ results withheld until they pay the money in full and likewise, a total of 262,803. candidates (representing 16. 29%) of the total number of candidates, who sat the exam are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of exam malpractice, and their cases are being investigated to determine if to eventually release or cancel.

This is (6.54%) lower than the 22.83% recorded in the same exam last year.

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The Head of the National Office of WAEC Nigeria, Mr Patrick Areghan, announced the release of the results and gave the statistics at a news conference held at the headquarters of the organisation in Yaba.

He explained that the cost of conducting its both school-based and exams for private candidates has gone up astronomically particularly due to rising inflation occasioned by fuel subsidy removal and therefore would ensure to get its money paid in full by the indebted state governments before releasing their candidates results.

While he also decried the fluctuation in performance of candidates in the exam, Areghan particularly raised great concern on high cases of malpractice in the exam, blaming the development over many reasons.

According to him, many students no longer prepare well for exams as they rely on the so-called “Expo” which is actually non-existent and also for activities of the “rogue website operators” and some social media platform owners, who post question papers online immediately after the commencement of subject papers and the use of mobile phones in the exam halls in spite of the ban placed on the device.

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He, however, promised that WAEC would continue to sanction all cases of exam malpractice and perpetrators including schools, and school administrators, invigilators and supervisors until the system is rid of sharp practices.

Areghan, who also complained that the insecurity situation in the country particularly in the North West and some eastern states where the sit-at-home order is imposed as well as armed robbers’ attack at Okigwe really taken a toll on the organisation during the conduct of the exam, stressed that the council was able to get the support of state government and security agencies to help out.

While disclosing that his tenure as HNO would end in October, Areghan also noted that results of all candidates with special needs including visually (109) and hearing impaired(386), physically challenged (34) and 33 others had been released with that of others.

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He, however, said candidates could start checking their results within the next 12 hours on the council’s website, given at www.waecdirect.org and also access their digital certificates on www.waec.org, using their Smart Identity Card which they used during the exam.

Tribune