Results of the inaugural Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination for Private Candidates, 2024–First Series, were made public by the West African Examinations Council, Nigeria, on Friday.
For its exams for private candidates, the council started the transition from traditional paper-based exams to computer-based exams.
According to a council statement, the new CB-WASSCE used a hybrid approach in which every question was displayed on a computer.
It stated that the answers to the multiple-choice questions were provided in real time on the computer, and the booklets that the applicants received contained the solutions to the essay and practical test questions.
The statement revealed that the examination was conducted between Wednesday, January 31 and Saturday, February 17, 2024.
The analysis of candidates’ performance showed that out of the 8,139 candidates that sat the examination, 3,424 candidates representing 42.07 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics).
“2,519 candidates representing 30.95 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
“The coordination of examiners and marking of candidates’ scripts were carried out at three marking venues in Lagos, Enugu and Kaduna from March 1 to 16, 2024. A total of 459 Examiners participated in the Coordination and Marking Exercise.
“The entry figure of 8,362 candidates showed a 4.30 per cent decrease in candidature when compared with the 2023 entry figure of 8,738. 8,139 candidates sat the examination at 140 CBT centres spread across the country.
“Amongst the candidates that sat the examination, 21 candidates, with varying degrees of Special Needs, were registered for the examination. Out of this number, nine were visually challenged, two had impaired hearing and two were Albinos.
“All these candidates with special needs were adequately catered for in the administration of the examination,” the statement read.