Paucity of funds may delay WAEC results

Posted by admin Headlines Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

THE West African Examinations Council has expressed worry over insufficient funds to engage enough markers for the senior secondary school examination.

The council’s Head of National Office, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, said this at a joint news conference with the Minister of State for Education, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom, on the forthcoming 60th annual council meeting of WAEC.

While noting that the council might not be able to hire enough examiners because there was no money to do so, Uwadiae said the situation might lead to delay in the release of results.

He said the N5,850 examination fee which the council charged every candidate was not enough to conduct the examination adding that the body would need financial assistance from the Federal Government to do well.

He said, “the government has been subsidising what the candidates pay to the council. If not, many candidates will not be able to apply for the examination because the fees will be too high for them to pay.”

In a quick response, the minister said that the government would definitely intervene by ensuring that the subvention meant for the council was not delayed.

He said, “ordinarily, when one considers the activities of WAEC, one would wonder why the examination body would need much fund to conduct the examination but the engagement of examiners and other logistics could results into huge spending.”

Comparing the performance of candidates in WAEC among the five member countries, which include Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Gambia, the registrar to the council, Alhaja Mulikat Bello, said Ghana was taking lead.

She lamented that candidates from Nigeria had not been doing well in the recent time despite the huge financial contribution of the country to WAEC.

-Tribunewp_posts