The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the November/December West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), for private candidates for this year (second series).

The announcement which was made in Lagos on Friday revealed that a total of 94, 884 candidates sat the examination, out of which 33, 304 (representing 35.10%) obtained credits and above in at least five mandatory subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. 35. 64% of the total candidates who sat the same exam last year had a similar result, indicating a slight fall.

The Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Mr Olu Adenipekun, announced the release of the results at a media conference at Yaba headquarters office of the examination body. He said the results of 9, 457 (representing 9.74%) of the total number of candidates who sat the exam are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of exam malpractice and their cases would be investigated to determine their fate if their results would be eventually released or cancelled.

Giving more details, Adenipekun said only 16,431 out of the total 47,237 male candidates who sat the exam (representing 49.39%) of the total candidates had the minimum credit pass in five mandatory subjects for higher studies while 16, 873 out of the total 47, 647 female candidates (representing 50.66%) had similar results, indicating that more females did better than their male counterparts in the exam. He also said a total of 110 candidates with special needs including visually and hearing impaired and spastic cum mentally challenged sat the exam and that all their results had been fully processed and released with that of others.

While disclosing that three essay papers, namely: Economics 2, Commerce 2 and Civic Education 2 were marked electronically, he announced that private candidates of the council’s exams would now be requesting for their certificates electronically, starting with candidates of the just-released results.

Adenipekun however, said candidates could now start checking their results on the council’s website, given at www.waecdirect.org.