By Saheed Ibrahim

The Ondo State Government has expressed shock over the withholding of results of some students who participated in the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Ondo State by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Reports indicate that some results of public secondary school students who sat for the examination are still being withheld by WAEC, even after the state government had paid all the necessary registration fees.

Reacting to the report, Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Mr Olaolu Akindolire, while expressing shock over the development, said WAEC has not given the state government any reason for withholding the results.

In a statement signed by the Ministry’s Head of Information and Media, Olaoluwa Meshack, Akindolire affirmed that the state government had paid all the necessary registration fees and wondered why WAEC is still withholding the results, especially at this time when admission into tertiary institutions is ongoing across the country.

The Commissioner said the withholding of the results by WAEC was capable of jeopardising the hopes of securing admission into tertiary institutions for the affected students, and called on the examination body to release the results promptly.

Mr Akindolire declared that the state government still maintains its zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractices and urged WAEC to carry out the necessary verifications to ensure that the affected students are not being unjustly punished.

While sympathising with the affected students and their parents, the Commissioner assured that the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, as a reputable examination body, does not take pleasure in punishing students without justification, and assured that the withheld results would be released appropriately.