Toscad News President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, to go into online examination and Marking system in the next few years to conform with the global best practices in the world of examinining candidates in twenty-first century.
The President gave the charge in a message to the opening of the Seventieth Annual Council Meeting of WAEC held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Represented by the Vice Presisent, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, President Buhari said that with the advance in technology in the world today, every service delivery organisation must look beyond its traditional way of reaching out to its publics and key into innovations that would enhance its scope and service delivery.
He explained that with the rate at which countries across the world were deploying technology to improve their educational system especially in the area of conducting examinations, Nigeria should not be left behind.
The president said that the West African Examination Council, WAEC, being a leading examinaning body in Nigeria and in the West African sub-region needed to employ more technology based strategies in conducting its examinatons so as to further conform with the global best practices.
President Buhari said by going into online examination and marking system for example, people would have access to the examination and the system would reduce the problem of examination malpractices among other challenges.
President Buhari also called on WAEC to tailor its syllabus towards bringing out creative thinking, Imaginations and problem solving skills in Nigerian students.
In a contribution, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba
Commended WAEC, for conducting examinations in 2020 and 2021 despite the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world.
Mr. Nwajiuba however, appealed to WAEC to continue to fight examination Malpractices which had been a major challenge in the conduct of examinations in Nigeria.
In an address, the Registrar, West African Examinations Council, WAEC, Mr. Pateh Bah, thanked governments of Member countries of WAEC for supporting the council in its operations in the West African sub-region over the years.
Mr. Bah said while his council had continued to employ various strategies in fighting examination Malpractices especially with the use of ICT, there was need for governments of member countries of WAEC to come up with appropriate laws that would address the problem in their dormains.
On his part, the Chairman of Council, WAEC, Prof. Ato Essuman thanked the Nigerian government for leaving up to its financial responsibility towards the Council without any form of delay over the years.
He therefore, called on governments of other member countries of WAEC to live up to their financial responsibilities towards the examination body.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to the students that took the first three positions in the 2021 West African Senior School certificate Examination at the National and the International level.
A student of Lagoon School, Lekki, Lagos state, Miss Nweze Isabella Chinasa won the first prize in the National and the international categories with a total score of Six hundred and six point eight seven six six in eight best subjects including General Mathematics and the English Language.
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