The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results of candidates from eight states.
The examination body said it took the action against the states because they refused to settle their debts.
Addressing reporters yesterday in Lagos, WAEC’s Head of the Nigeria National Office (HNO), Patrick Areghan, described Zamfara and Niger states as chronic debtors.
The HNO said Zamfara State did not present candidates for this year’s examination.
But he did not give details about the other six states, except saying that they would pay.
“About eight states are owing WAEC. We won’t mention them all as some are going to pay.
“However, Zamfara and Niger are the biggest debtors. Zamfara did not present any candidate for this year’s WASSCE,” Areghan said.
The HNO explained that 79.81 per cent of candidates obtained Credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
He said 1,621,884 candidates registered for the examination from 20,867 recognised secondary schools across the country but 1,613,733 candidates sat the examination.
“An analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates in the examination shows that out of the 1,613,733 candidates that sat for the examination, 1,361,608 candidates, representing 84.38 per cent, obtained Credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects with or without English Language and/or Mathematics,” he said.
Areghan said the results of 262,803 candidates, representing 16.29 per cent of those who sat for the examination, were being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.
He said the council would continue to sanction cases of examination malpractice, advising parents to stop funding the so-called “expo” (illegal scouting for question papers outside of examination hall) for their children.
