In a groundbreaking initiative, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced the introduction of paper variations for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), aimed at curbing examination malpractice.
This new examination format, which will see candidates receive unique questions, will be implemented for the first time during the WASSCE, which is scheduled to take place from April 24 to June 20, 2025.
Addressing the media at a press briefing held at the WAEC national office in Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Amos Dangut, the Head of the Nigeria National Office, expressed the Council’s commitment to integrating modern technology in examination administration.
“As an organization that believes in the use of modern Information and Communications Technology, we are excited to introduce Computer-based WASSCE for School Candidates,” he stated.
“From this year onwards, no two candidates will have the same questions, which is a significant step towards upholding academic integrity.”
The 2025 examination will accommodate a staggering 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 schools, with a gender distribution of 979,228 males and 994,025 females. This marks an increase in both male and female participants compared to previous years. “The statistics indicate a continued growth in female participation, which is encouraging,” Dr. Dangut noted.
To enhance the registration process, the National Identification Number, NIN has been incorporated as a component. However, Dr. Dangut emphasized that it was not mandatory at the initial stage to facilitate easier registration.
“We wanted to ensure all candidates could access the registration portal without unnecessary barriers,” he explained.
Addressing ongoing security concerns, Dr Dangut acknowledged the challenges posed by insecurity in the country. “We cannot ignore the realities of conducting examinations amidst insecurity. In the previous WASSCE, we faced threats in certain areas, but we managed to ensure that examinations continued safely,” he said. He highlighted WAEC’s partnership with the Nigeria Police Force and various state governments to bolster security during the examination period.
Furthermore, WAEC reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards examination malpractice. “We are committed to decisively dealing with any form of examination fraud,” Dr. Dangut warned. “The penalties for involvement in malpractice will be strictly enforced to maintain the integrity of our examinations.”