The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has fixed Monday, May 16 for the commencement of the 2022 examinations.

At a briefing on Monday, the Head of National Office, Mr. Patrick Areghan disclosed that the examination would end on June 23rd, 2022, adding that the revert to the May/June period for the conduct of the examination should be celebrated.

According to him, the significance of this is that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the various member States have now again found a common ground in respect of their academic calendars.

“This shows a massive recovery from the devastating effects, disruptions, and confusion caused by the Pandemic,” Areghan buttressed.

A total of One Million, Six Hundred and Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Five (1,607,975) candidates from Twenty Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty-One, (20,221) schools have registered for the examination.

Out of this number, Eight Hundred Thousand and Fifty-Five (800,055) are males, comprising (49.76%) while Eight Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Twenty-Four (800,724) are females, comprising (50.24%) of the total candidature.

Candidates would be examined in 76 subjects, made up of 197 papers.

About 30,000 practicing senior teachers, nominated by various Ministries of Education, would be participating in the examination as supervisors.

The WAEC boss in Nigeria in giving more details about the exercise said that even though NIN was made a component of the registration process, it was not a compulsory requirement in order not to disqualify many candidates.

As regards COVID-19 Protocols, Mr Areghan assures the general public that though COVID-19 is abating, during the conduct of the examination, the protocols rolled out by the Federal and State governments of Nigeria will still be strictly adhered to.

Dealing with the issue of insecurity, Areghan told newsmen that conducting examinations under a hostile atmosphere is a herculean task.

While acknowledging that there are many flashpoints all over the country and that conducting examinations in such areas would require extra security arrangements, he noted that the Council is liaising with the Inspector General of Police and the various State governments to provide security in order to ensure that the examination is conducted under a secure and safe environment.

Recalling that the conduct of some papers in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2021 was disrupted in some parts of the South East due to insecurity, Mr Areghhan said it took the extraordinary magnanimity of WAEC to administer another examination, pro bono, to the affected students.

“These are children who, ordinarily, would have had their academic future jeopardized through no fault of theirs.

All hands must be on deck to prevent this scenario,” he maintained.

Looking at the brighter side, Areghan revealed that WAEC has made available its e-learning portal as a way of helping candidates with learning materials that will equip them with the necessary requirements and expectations needed to write and pass their examinations.

Candidates were advised to visit https://WAEConline.org.ng to access the portal.

According to him, the results of candidates sitting the examination will be released 45 days after the conduct of the last paper, while the certificates will be printed and issued to schools in less than Ninety (90) days after the release of the results.

“WAEC Nigeria, in its bid to serve the Nigerian Child better, has acquired a state-of-the-art printer that delivers outstandingly high quality and high volume output,” Areghan divulged.

The virulent COVID-19 pandemic that hit the globe in 2020 created certain uncertainties that also affected the West African Examination Council, hindering the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), for School Candidates, in 2020 and 2021.

The scheduled dates for the conduct of the examinations had to be shifted to later dates because of the prevailing effects of the pandemic, however, Areghan asserted that the Council is certain of the new dates confirmed and looks forward to the successful conduct of the examinations.