Presidency probes mass failure in SSSCE, NECO exams – The Nation
November 3, 2009 by Bunmi Awolusi
The Presidency has ordered an investigation into the mass failure of students in this year’s School Certificate Examinations.
Some school heads may be punished to avert a re-occurrence of the “woeful” performance, it was gathered yesterday.
Most secondary school leavers failed the May-June examinations conducted by the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Of the candidates who sat for this year’s May/June Senior Secondary Examinations, 84% failed.
According to WAEC, only 356, 981 or 25.99 per cent of the 1,373,009 candidates (755,955 males and 617,054 females) got five credit passes and above in English, Mathematics and at least three other subjects.
Of those who passed, 116,729 are Science-oriented; 33,024 in Social Science class, and 100,632 in the Arts.
Of the 1,200,765 candidates who registered for the NECO examinations, only 126,500 or 10.7% secured five credits, including English and Mathematics.
Also, 289,966 candidates or 24.5% came out with five credits without English and Mathematics.
The Presidency, shocked by the dismal performance, ordered a probe.
