Conducting WAEC Examinations Amidst COVID-19 Spread

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced dates for the commencement of its annual examinations. In this report, JOY YESUFU looks at the modalities put in place in Nigerian schools to avert the spread of COVID-19 among candidates taking the examinations.

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) recently announced that 2020 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates will commence by August this year, and end by the first week of September.

According to the body, there will be modalities attached to the writing of the examination, in accordance with the guidelines of the federal government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

The information released further revealed that the timetable for the examination would be released by the second week of the July.

Also, the results of all candidates will be released on the 45th day after the last paper has been taken.

The information further explained that all the five countries of Africa taking the examination (Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia) will start the examination together. Based on the instructions, candidates are to arrive at the examination center an hour before the commencement of the day’s papers, as lateness will not be tolerated.

To prevent further spread of the virus, candidates will not be allowed into the examination hall without wearing a facemask.

The federal government last Monday announced the reopening of schools as part of modifications to the COVID-19 lockdown, the phase two of which it extended for another 30 days.

The resumption was, however, limited to graduating JSS 3 and SSS 3 preparing to write their final examinations.

Chairman of the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF), Boss Mustapha, announced this during a briefing by the Task Force in Abuja.

Mixed reactions have however trailed the announcement. While some opined that the federal government had not adequately prepared the schools for resumption, in view of the reality of challenges thrown-up by COVID-19, others say it is a welcome development as students tend to study more when in classroom and that online study is not effective.

The minister of state for education, Mr Emka Nwajiuba, during a subsequent briefing of the PTF said WAEC had approved August 4th for the commencement of their annual Senior Secondary School Examinations (SSCE) for students in senior secondary three.

Nwajiuba said the examination would end on September 5th adding that NECO and NABTEB examinations will also commence immediately after the WAEC examinations are over.

The minister further said all states had the option of either resumption for day or boarding students as long as they follow the basic rules and regulations to contain the spread COVID-19.

He also said that the federal ministry of education would on Tuesday hold conclusive stakeholder’s meetings with the NCDC and Nigerian Union of Teachers on new examination dates urging final year students who are yet to register for SSCE to do so as soon as possible.

Nwajiuba said private school owners must keep to the regulations of the pandemic as they reopen for the examination.

“All schools will be decontaminated before resumption dates with chemicals that will not long lasting but will also disinfect the school environment,” he added.

However, nothing much was said about the examination of students in junior secondary school 3 who were supposed to also resume same time.

The Lagos State government amongst other states had earlier announced August 3 for the resumption of students in transitional classes in the state.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who made the announcement said the resumption applies to only students in Senior Secondary 3 (SS3) and Technical College 3 (TEC), while dates for JSS3 and other classes will be announced later.

The governor disclosed that the decision was made by stakeholders in the state.

He said no boarding activities will be permitted and all schools are expected to open strictly for day schooling.

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“However, students in transitional classes, who have mandatory Public exams ahead of them are permitted to resume at only day schools as soon as possible for revision classes and examination. All educational establishments are to follow established public health guidelines and protocols for re-opening the schools for these categories of students”

He added that tertiary institutions are to continue their online academic activities which are at various advanced stages.

In a telephone conversation with LEADERSHIP, the advisory director, White Plain British School, Dr Francis Chukwumah Nwufoh, said reopening of schools was a welcome development as online schools were not as effective.

According to him, students are oftentimes not attentive during online, but are more concentrated while in class. He however advised the government to ensure adequate hygiene within and around the classroom environment and ensure that candidates observe social distancing to curtail the spread of coronavirus.

“It is a welcomed development. We tried online school but it was not effective. Children are not serious. You will be talking to them before you know they will say I want to go to the toilet. They are more serious and concentrated in the class room. What should be done is seriousness concerning social distance and hygiene of the class room. Interaction between teachers and students is very important. It is very important that they open school because if children are not engaged, they might start forgetting what they have learnt,” he said.

Nwufoh further noted that experimental sciences like physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics needed serious physical interaction between students and teachers for more clarity. This according to him will help during their practical examinations.

Also speaking to LEADERSHIP, the director of press, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Gong, said the ministry was currently holding meetings to tie all loose ends before students can go back to classes.

He said both private and public schools would have to work out their details as it suits them.

According to him, all schools must be fumigated before resumption, students will be divided into two for each class and those with boarding facilities will have to space the bunks.

“We have to do fumigation, we have to decongest the bed in the dormitory, so that we can space them well. We have to subdivide the classes, so that if you have a class of 50, you break it into two. Divide them into two since it is only the examination classes, the final year classes that are resuming.

“Every school will have excess classrooms so that social distancing can be observed. It is the same way we will split them in the hostels. If the bunks are close, we can leave three bunks in between two people. Fumigation will also have to be done in the hostels. There will also be a notice going to parents on what is expected from them as their children go back to school, face mask, hand sanitisers and so on. The private sector can also take a cue from that.

A parent, Lucy Bateh, who has a daughter preparing for the SSCE expressed fears as her daughter is in a boarding school in Benue state while she and other members of the family live in Abuja.

She said if most adults had been seen not to observe social distancing as shown in some online videos, then how these young ones will adhere to it while alone in hostels at night.

“There may be guidance and strict adherence to rules of Covid-19 during the examinations hour in the day times, but who will guide them to do the right thing when they return to the hostel?” she asked.

She called on school authorities all over the country to ensure those with boarding facilities are properly guided so the returning student won’t have any chance of contracting the disease while writing the examination.

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