Record has shown that a total of 1,020,519 candidates who sat for the 2019 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for schools obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects including English Language and Mathematics.
Mr Olu Adenipekun, head of National Office (HNO), West African Examinations Council (WAEC), gave the figure while announcing the release of the results at a news conference, yesterday, in Lagos.
He said that there was an improvement in candidates’ performances in 2019 when compared to that of 2018 in the same examination.
It was gathered that 1,596161 candidates registered for the examination from 18,639 recognised secondary schools in Nigeria.
The HNO said that, of the number of candidates who registered for the examination, 1,590,173 sat for the examination, which was also administered to some candidates from some schools in Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Equatirial Guinea, where Nigerian curriculum for the Senior Secondary School was used.
According to him, a total of 1,309,570 candidates also obtained credits and above in a minimum of any five subjects, with or without English Language and or mathematics.
Adenipekun said that results of 180, 205 candidates who sat for the examination were withheld in connection with reported cases of examination malpractice.
He told journalists that the cases were being investigated, adding that reports of the investigation would be presented to the appropriate committee of the council in due course.
“The committee’s decision will be communicated to the affected candidates through their various schools,” he said.
The HNO said that 1,468,071 candidates who sat for the examination had their results fully processed and released while 122,102 others had a few of their subjects still being processed.
Adenipekun gave the assurance that efforts were being made to speedily complete the processing so that all the affected candidates would get their results fully processed and released subsequently.
According to him, 299 of the candidates who sat for the examination are visually impaired, 842 have impaired hearing, 158 have low vision, 75 are spastic cum mentally challenged and 85, physically challenged.
“All these candidates with special needs were adequately provided for in the administration of the examination.
“The results of these candidates have been processed and released along with other candidates,” he said.
He said that the details of the results were already available online.