Stakeholders decry perennial poor performance in WAEC exams

The results of the 2014 West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams held in May/June and released on Monday this week, show that over 68 per cent of candidates that sat for the exam failed to achieve the minimum five credits with English and Mathematics. Analysis of performance rates since 2008 show that it was only in 2011 that 42 per cent of candidates recorded credit passes in five subjects with English and Mathematics. For other years, percentage pass rate hovered between 23 to 38 per cent.

This continual dismal performance rate is a glaring indication that Nigeria’s secondary education system, just like the tertiary and primary systems is troubled and in a state of decay.

Stakeholders attribute the poor performance of students in certifying exams for secondary school students to the poor execution of the supervisory functions of education ministries, lackadaisical conduct of teachers, parents and students.

Nigeria is experiencing a huge youth bulge that would continue for the next two decades. If the country’s secondary education system remains moribund, there is little hope that this youth bulge will translate into a valuable asset.

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IKENNA OBI & KELECHI EWUZIE