2020 WASSCE: Why Students May Record Mass Failure

Based on the short period given to schools to prepare their students for the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), stakeholders are jittery, expressing great concern over the likely performance of the students.

They are worried that there results may be the worst ever recorded.

The examination is scheduled to commence on Monday, August 17, 2020. The schools have been shut down for almost four months as the Covid-19 pandemic forced the government to take such action as a measure to curtail spread of the virus.

In Lagos State, the students resumed on Tuesday, August 4, having just 12 days to prepare for their examination.

Though the government and some private schools organised online teaching during the lockdown, of was gathered that larger number of the students did not participate in the exercise.

The Education Secretary (ES), Ikeja Local Government Authority (LGEA), Hon. Akeem Amosu had earlier complained that epileptic power supply almost frustrated the online as well as on air teaching organised by the Lagos State Government in some parts of the state, coupled with the inability of many parents to afford Internet-powered phones and other gadgets for the children to learn on radio and television.

During the period, the students were not allowed to attend tutorials,l while many parents could not afford to hire teachers for private home lessons for their children.

WASSCE is normally held in May/June every year after the students have been thoroughly taught and completed the syllabus given by WAEC.

Despite adequate preparation and thorough teaching with revision taken towards the commencement of the examination, students have not been recording encouraging performances.

For instance, in 2019, a total of 1,020,519 candidates in Nigeria representing 64.18 percent obtained credits and above in minimum of five (5) subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

In Lagos State, while the public candidates have been improving, the private candidates have been performing abysmally.

In 2018, out of 48,651 private candidates who sat the examination in Lagos State, only 21,614 candidates representing 44.43 per cent obtained credits and above in minimum of five (5) subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

The results in 2018 were better compared to their performance in the previous year. In 2017, just 26.4 per cent (15,545) of the total 58,883 private candidates obtained credits and above in minimum of five (5) subjects including English Language and Mathematic.

However, the performance of the public candidates deteriorated in 2018 compared to what was obtained in the previous year.

In 2017, 101,150 public candidates representing 65.50 per cent out of the total 154,430 candidates who sat the examination obtained credits and above in minimum of five (5) subjects including English Language and Mathematic while in 2018, only 60.72 per cent of the 162,066 public candidates who sat the examination got the same results.

While reacting to the predictable performances of the students in the forthcoming 2020 WASSCE, some of the students, teachers and parents who spoke to DAILY POST expressed fear that the 2020 WASSCE results may be the worst recorded so far, while others are optimistic that the students would do better having been returned to schools for revision.

One of the secondary school teachers in Isolo area of Lagos State, who wants to simply be identified as Mr. Fasiku, said with the efforts of the state government, the students are expected to perform better in the coming external examinations.

He said:

“I believe the government is doing its best to ensure a good performance among our students in the forthcoming WASSCE. Our students, as a matter of duty, should reciprocate this by turning out good results.

“Prior to the Covid-19 break, the SS3 final exams, including the other classes were just about a week to commence. Most teachers have already completed their syllabus, and many were on revisions.

“During the 3 to 4 months of Covid-19 break, Lagos State students were not left on their own. There were several online channels made available to them using the media and on the Internet. Some indigent ones were lucky to have received from government tablets and transistor radios.

“Most schools, of which mine, Metropolitan Senior College, Isolo was a pioneer, engaged students of all classes in all subject areas on live teaching through WhatsApp. Students were opportune to interact freely with teachers.

“Just as the Covid-19 has brought out the best in some of us (teachers) by exposing us to various modern E-learning methods. Students are also expected to avail themselves of this new normal in order to achieve success in their examinations.

“Since the reopening of schools, teaching (revision) commenced immediately and attendance in the class is impressive.

“This is not a time to give excuses but, to turn whatever adversity that may have been into success through hardworking and rightful focus. Nothing short of this is expected of them.”