The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reacted to a recent outcry by a concerned mother who pleaded for the release of her son’s withheld certificate, stating that the delay was causing him to slip into depression.
The woman, Temitope Aladegoroye, a broadcaster and lifestyle coach, told Vanguard Newspaper that her son, whom she described as gifted and highly skilled is experiencing a setback in his educational journey due to the withholding of his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) result by WAEC.
She explained that her son, with exam number – 5251101693, sat for the November/December 2024 WASSCE diet, lamenting that despite being a brilliant and promising student, his result has been withheld by the council for no clear reason.
In a press release issued on Thursday and signed by WAEC’s acting head of public affairs, Moyosola Adesina, the council denied withholding the candidate’s result without cause. “We categorically reject this claim and wish to clarify the facts,” the statement read.
WAEC explained that results are only withheld when there is a report of examination malpractice or other irregularities during the conduct of an examination, pending investigations.
The council further noted that affected candidates are always notified of the allegations made against them and are advised to respond through its Notice of Examination Malpractice (NEM) portal.
“The information about this portal are always contained in the press releases issued upon the release of result for every diet of examination as well as the council’s social media platforms. In addition, prior to every diet of examination, candidates and examination functionaries are informed through briefing session notes and registration materials,” the council said.
Due process
The council emphasised that it is a law abiding organisation that follows due process in all its activities.
It added that all reported cases of examination malpractice are investigated in accordance with the rules and regulations for handling irregularities in the council’s examinations, pursuant to the law.
WAEC reaffirmed its commitment to adding value to the educational goals of its stakeholders and pledged to continue improving the quality of its assessments to enhance the standard of education in Nigeria.