The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has introduced a new initiative that allows students to resit their West African Secondary School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, exams as early as January and February 2025.
This change is a departure from the previous system, where candidates had to wait for the next private exam session.
The Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, made the revelation in a statement.
Commenting on the development, the Chairman, Ogun State chapter, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary School, Felix Oluwaseun Agbesanwa, described is as a step in the right direction.
Kapi stated that the new programme, named WASSCE PC1, offers a quicker opportunity for students to enhance their grades.
“Students, who access their WAEC results now and realise they need to resit one or two papers have until 8th January to register online through our website or at WAEC-accredited internet cafés.
“The exams will take place from 24th January to 15th February 2025,” Kapi stated.
He stated that to assist candidates in their preparation, WAEC intends to fast-track the release of the chief examiners’ reports.
“These reports will provide detailed feedback on where students may have gone wrong and how they can better approach their studies and the examination process.
“We’ve advertised this programme widely through banners, our website, and our results checker platform to ensure that both students and parents are aware,” Kapi added.
He mentioned that students whose results were canceled are also eligible to take the WASSCE PC1 exams, as long as they have not been banned for malpractice for several years.
“For now, the exams will be conducted in regional capitals due to the limited number of candidates. Prospective participants are urged to complete their registration by the 8th of January to take advantage of this opportunity.”
WAEC, however, remains optimistic that this initiative will enable candidates to swiftly improve their grades and qualify for the upcoming admission cycle, preventing a year-long setback in their academic journey.
Meanwile, ASUS leader, Agbesanwa, said: “WAEC introduced a new policy that will allow students who failed their examinations to have a chance to resit the failed papers but gave a proviso which is the fact that such opportunity is for those who have not been banned and those whose papers were indicted as having cheated during the past examinations.
“As a stakeholder, I love this initiative but the date for the registration should be extended a bit till the end of the month, January.
“Many of the students who thought they can’t make their papers except they register for all papers will now have time to concentrate on the paper or papers they failed and by doing this, they can pass their papers if they read very well this time around and they pass their failed papers.
“To me I think that failed papers, if being sat for again and passed, will be added to their last results and it will clear off two sittings. Rather it will be one sitting except the body did not think in that direction.
“Furthermore, the students can still use this result to seek admission in any higher institution of their choice because WAEC said the examination will take place in March this year and definitely one expect results to be out quickly without any delay.
“Similarly, it will curb examination malpractices in a little way because passing examination syndrome by all means will reduce.
“Nevertheless, my fear is that students will not use this window to be more lackadaisical in their academics rather they will use this opportunity to read more and avoid resitting for any examination again.
“Though the cost of registration for the resit papers may be small and cannot be compared with the amount to be paid for the next examination, that doesn’t mean the students must see this window as a good opening to be lazy nor to be serious with their academics.
“Above all, it’s hoped that the body will be sincere with this policy and the reasons for introducing it will not be defeated.”