The Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD) has expressed profound disappointment over the recent controversy surrounding the release of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, which revealed glaring lapses in the grading process.
In the initial results released, only 754,545 candidates were reported to have passed the examination with credits in both English and Mathematics, representing a success rate of 38%. However, following a review prompted by widespread complaints and technical verifications, the number of candidates who met the benchmark has surged to over 1.2 million, translating to a 62% success rate.
FOSAD strongly condemns this development, describing it as “a disturbing reflection of incompetence and systemic failure” in the nation’s examination management processes. The forum noted that such discrepancies not only undermine public trust in examination bodies but also jeopardize the future of millions of young Nigerians whose educational and career prospects depend on accurate and timely assessment.
Quoting Mr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC Nigeria, during his public admission of the error:
“With deep sorrow and regret, l, on behalf of the Registrar to Council, Management and Staff of WAEC Nigeria, apologize for the discrepancies discovered in the grading of serialized papers.
This is very difficult for us to say, but we have to admit that it is very embarrassing.”
FOSAD acknowledged the courage of WAEC in owning up to the error but insists that such blunders should never have occurred in the first place, especially considering the psychological toll, financial costs, and uncertainty inflicted on candidates and their families.
The Forum called for:
- A comprehensive audit of WAEC’s examination grading and result verification processes to identify and fix all technical and human-related loopholes.
- Sanctions and accountability measures for those whose negligence led to the error.
- Implementation of modern, fail-safe digital systems to prevent recurrence.
- Compensation for candidates who may have suffered opportunities lost as a result of the initial wrong grading.
Speaking on behalf of the body, FOSAD’s Secretary General, Dr Uzor Ngoladi stated:
“Educational assessment is a sacred trust. Any breach in its accuracy not only destabilizes the academic journey of candidates but erodes the credibility of our national and regional examination systems. The WAEC incident should serve as a wake-up call to all examination bodies: NECO, JAMB, NABTEB to strengthen their processes and uphold global best practices.”
The Forum reiterated its commitment to promoting academic excellence, transparency, and accountability in Nigeria’s educational sector, warning that the nation cannot afford repeated errors of this magnitude if it truly intends to compete in the global knowledge economy.
E-Signed:
Dr. Stephen Nwala
President
Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
Dr. Uzor Ngoladi
Secretary General
Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
