West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Nigeria is ready for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination WASSCE for School Candidates. The Exams will begin on Thursday 24th April and terminate on Friday 20th June 2025.The Head of WAEC Nigeria, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut noted that the examinations body is introducing a brilliant innovation from this year forward. The innovation ensures that ‘two candidates will not have same questions on each number.’ This is to ensure the integrity of the Examinations.
Speaking today at a press briefing, the Head of WAEC Nigeria, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut stated: ‘As an organisation that believes in the use of modern Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to solve myriads of problems as well as improve service delivery to the Nigerian child, the Council has introduced its maiden Computer-based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2025. It will interest you to know that from this year, two candidates will not have same questions on each number. We have adopted this innovation for some of the WASSCE codes. This initiative is part of the paradigm shift in the education sector, particularly, the adoption of current test administration techniques geared towards upholding the academic and moral integrity of the National Policy on Education and in line with the vision of the Federal Ministry of Education.’
‘The conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2025 will take place between Thursday, April 24 and Friday, June 20, 2025, in Nigeria, spanning eight (08) weeks and one (01) day. A total of One Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty-Three (1,973,253) candidates from Twenty-Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty-Four (23,554) schools have presented candidates for the examination. Of this number, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty-Eight (979,228) candidates are males, amounting to 49.63%, while Nine Hundred and Ninety-Four Thousand and Twenty-Five (994,025) candidates are females, which is 50.37% of the total candidature.’
‘The statistics show a further increase in the number of females and males, respectively, compared to last year. However, on the roll, the candidacy for this year increased by One Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Seven (158,627) Candidates, they would be examined in Seventy-Four (74) subjects, made up of One Hundred and Ninety-Six (196) papers. About Twenty-Six Thousand (26,000) practising senior secondary school teachers, nominated by various Ministries of Education, would be participating in the examination as supervisors. The National Identification Number (NIN) was made a component of the registration process. The policy was implemented in compliance with the directive of the Federal Government. However, it was not made a compulsory requirement at the initial phase of the entries, to aid candidates’ease of registration and easy access to the portal. At the close of the registration exercise, candidates were still allowed to submit their NIN for upload on the Council’s registration portal. No candidate was found ineligible for registration as a result of non-submission of NIN during registration as all schools were required to upload their candidates’ NIN.’
‘We cannot feign ignorance of the level of insecurity in the Country. Several incidents have been recorded across the Country during the conduct of WASSCE over the years. For instance, in a particular geopolitical zone, last year, during the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2024, there was a threat to a particular subject, but everything was later brought under control. Conducting examinations in such situations have been challenging though surmounted. The Council has continued to partner with the Nigeria Police Force through the Inspector General of Police and the various State governments to provide adequate security to ensure the smooth and hitch-free conduct of the examination. In this regard, the Council remains grateful to State Governments for their partnership and collaborative efforts throughout the conduct of WASSCE and in the Council’s ongoing war against the menace of Examination Malpractice. The Council decisively deals with examination malpractice of any kind. The penalties for involvement in examination malpractice will always, without compromise, be meted out to erring candidates, supervisors, schools, etc, as would be approved by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making organ of the Council that sits on examination matters in Nigeria.’
‘The Council, on its part, has rolled out several awareness campaigns and organized seminars for school proprietors, principals, students and other key stakeholders through its Branch and Zonal offices nationwide to sensitize them on the effects of this evil. Similarly, the Council produced sensitization materials such as flyers, banners, posters and other forms of reminders to further keep the message afresh in the minds of all stakeholders, especially candidates sitting the examination. Furthermore, the introduction of variations of papers, which I mentioned earlier, is an effort geared towards combating the menace of examination malpractice. Thus, candidates’ paper variations for the papers to be deployed for CB-WASSCE 2025, have been preprinted according to their registration details. Any candidate who chooses to write a paper other than the one assigned to him or her, will be doing a disservice to himself or herself and will bear the attendant consequences. A word is enough for the wise.’
‘It is therefore, on this note, that I call on parents and guardians to encourage their wards to study diligently and desist from engaging in any form of examination malpractice. The mass media is hereby invited to continue to partner with the Council in its efforts against examination malpractice, as it is our collective responsibility. The various State Ministries of Education are also urged to call upon their principals, teachers and other officials serving as inspectors and/or supervisors to order. School principals and teachers should sensitize their students to the dangers of this terrible crime against humanity.’
‘Every candidate and examination functionary should familiarize themselves with the Rules guiding the conduct of the examination as stipulated in the WAEC Syllabus and Guidelines for the conduct of examinations, issued to schools. Erring schools whose candidates engaged in mass cheating will be derecognised; erring officials will be adequately punished, while erring candidates will be sanctioned if found culpable. Window for redress for candidates and schools who feel aggrieved with WAEC’s decision after the release of results may make representations trhoguh the website: https//waecinternational.org/complaints.’
‘I would also like to state here that centres that have been derecognized by our sister organisations, that is, other examining bodies, remain derecognized for us too. This is no longer the time when a derecognized centre will run to another examining body for undue recognition. We also want to sound a note of warning to all operators of rogue websites that WAEC will not condone their heinous acts during the conduct of this examination. Parents are hereby cautioned to desist from patronising these evildoers who are hell-bent on frustrating the efforts of WAEC. They should have nothing to do with them, as that would only lead to the destruction of their children’s destiny. Meanwhile, we shall, as usual, work hand-in-hand with the Nigerian Police Force to bring perpetrators to book. There will be no hiding place for them. I am certain that those who were tracked down and brought to book last year would have chosen to stay out of trouble if they had known how prepared we are for them. Please, do not fall victim because you may not be able to tell the story.’
‘The Council does not only conduct exam, but it’s also interested in the good performance of the candidates. As a way of assisting candidates prepare for the examination, the Council has recently added the following resources to be adopted by schools and individual students. The resources includes: Past Question Paper and Answer with Chief Examiners’Report Booklets This is a compilation of past WASSCE questions with responses, the marking schemes and Chief Examiners’Report on the relevant examination diets, to aid candidates’ learning. These resources are available in the WASSCE Core Subjects, Arts Subjects, Science Subjects and Commercial Subjects as classified. The Chief Examiners’ Reports provided an overview of how candidates performed in examinations, while suggesting ways to improve performance.’
‘This is the approved exams preparatory platform, designed for candidates preparing to sit the WASSCE. The WAEC e-study platform enables schools, teachers and students to access past WASSCE questions (multiple-choice or theory-based), learning plans, marking schemes and performance insights. Candidates should visit waec.estudy.ng to access the portal.’
‘WAEC has made available via its e-learning portal, resources that will equip candidates’ with the requirements and expectations needed to write and pass their examinations. Students’ performances in previous examinations are analyzed with the aim of highlighting candidates’ weaknesses and proffering solutions to assist candidates’ learning.’
Candidates should visit https://WAEConline.org.ng to access the portal. Similarly, the WAEC Konnect portal has been developed to enable candidates and stakeholders to interact with the Council, as well as with each other, in preparation for the examination. This will, in turn, help candidates to keep abreast of necessary information regarding the examination diet. Candidates can log on to https://www.waeckonnect.com/ to get started.
‘As our usual practice, the results of candidates sitting the examination will be released 45 days after the conduct of the last paper, while awarded certificates will be printed and issued to schools in less than Ninety (90) days after the release of results. Candidates’ results will be released along with the digital copies of candidates’ certificates, which can be accessed on the Digital Certificate platform.The Road to April 24, 2025.’
‘All hands are on deck in ensuring that the conduct of WASSCE for School Candidates, 2025, is hitch-free. It is pertinent to state that non-adherence to the registration deadline is still a lingering challenge in the preparation for examinations. The receipt of entries much later than the stipulated deadline, translates to a lack of adequate planning, and this impacts negatively on the preparation of pre-examination, examination and post-examination materials. This serves as an appeal to schools to adhere to the registration deadline proffered by the Council.’
‘The West African Examinations Council, being a foremost examining body, has continued to add value to the educational goals of its stakeholders, for the past seventy-three years of its existence. It has also leveraged Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in a fast-paced digital world for improved service delivery on its mandate.’
Great strides have been made in areas, including: 1. DIGITAL CERTIFICATE: The launch of the WAEC Digital Certificate allows candidates who sat for WASSCE between 1999 to date, to access, confirm and share their certificates and recover examination numbers directly from the WAEC database.The platform is currently being accessed by users all over the world.
2. ROBUST COMPUTER-BASED TEST SERVICES: WAEC also offers very reliable and robust Computer-Based Tests (CBT) and Aptitude Test Services, both at the WAEC Testing and Training Centre, Ogba – an edifice that boasts of state-of-the-art facilities, and the Aptitude Tests Department, Yaba. The facilities provide cost effective services to governmental and non-governmental organizations for testing activities.
3. WAEC CHATBOT: Furthermore, the general public can now gain access to all WAEC services online and in real-time through the WAEC Request Management Portal (WAEC CHATBOT) by logging online to www.request.waec.org, or via WhatsApp, with the following numbers: – 08179439269- 07061741253
4.WAEC VERIFY: This is a platform that provides online access by tertiary institutions and other establishments, to the WAEC database for the verification of prospective students’/applicants’ results.
5. CENTRE LOCATOR: This allows users and visitors to geographically locate schools/centres involved in the real time conduct of WASSCE and other information.
6. EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE PORTAL: Candidates whose results are withheld can now visit the WAEC Notice of Examination Malpractice Portal at: https//waecinternational.org/complaints to make representations with regard to allegations bordering on examination malpractice.The representations are made to the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) for consideration of reports of examinations malpractice made against the candidates.
The Council is in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, the various State Ministries of Education, the Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies and stakeholders, to deliver, a credible examination to the Nigerian Child and the general public. The Final International Timetable for the conduct of the examination has been sent to all schools for their necessary guidance.We remain ever grateful to the Honourable Minister of Education, the Honourable Minister of State, Education, all the State Ministries of Education, the Inspector-General of Police, and indeed, all stakeholders, for their usual support and cooperation, even as we count on them once again.