Metro
Play by the Rules, WAEC Tells Parents, Stakeholders, Students As 2023 SSCE Begins
By Eric Elezuo
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has told parents, students, stakeholders and every one involve to play by the rules of the body as the 2023 Secondary Secondary Certificate Examinations begin on May 8.
The charge was given on Thursday by the Head of National Office, Nigeria, Patrick Areghan, while addressing the press on the conduct of the 2023 West African exams.
“We shall do our best to monitor and inspect the conduct of the examination at all centres. We appeal to all schools, authorities and supervisors to co-operate with us,” he said
Flanked by Senior management staff of the Council, Areghan noted that the exams have finally adjusted to the May/June Period for which it is known, stressing that on inception by Monday 8, the exams will end on Friday, June 23, spanning seven straight weeks.
“This is remarkable. The significance of this landmark is that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the various member States, with the exception of Ghana, have now again found a common ground in respect of their academic calendars. This shows a massive recovery from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Areghan noted.
Stressing that a total of 76 subjects, spread into 197 papers will be tested this year, Areghan also informed that “a total of One Million, Six Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-three (1,621,853) candidates from Twenty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-one, (20,851) secondary schools have registered for the examination. Out of this number, Seven Hundred and Ninety-eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ten (798,810) are males, amounting to 49.25%, while Eight Hundred and Twenty-three Thousand, and Forty-three (823,043) are females, which is 50.75% of the total candidature.”
The Council has also set aside 30,000 practicing teachers drawn from across schools as supervisors, adding that all teachers will function as invigilators in their various schools throughout the seven weeks duration of the exams, just as a self-service system for candidates, through the CHATBOT Platform, to enable them access their entries, which in most cases, the schools do not allow them to see, contrary to instructions, have been established.
The Candidate Self-Service allows students to confirm data uploaded for them by schools in order to make necessary corrections (if any) on such data. It provides two key services on the Request Management System which include Confirmation of Entry/Registration and Confirmation of Continuous Assessment Score (CASS).
The Council also warned schools on the importance of CASS, saying it is a major component in the computation of grades for candidates in the WASSCE (SC) examination. It added that no school will have any result without complete CASS upload.
WAEC also explained that considering the insecurity situation in the country, it has liaise with the Inspector General of Police, Brigade Commanders, other security agencies and the various State governments as well as the intervention of the Hon Minister of Education, to provide security in order to ensure that the examination is conducted under a secure and safe environment.
The Council read the riot act to perpetrators of exam malpractice and ‘miracle centres’, saying they will be decisively dealt with while also rolling out several awareness campaigns to sensitize stakeholders on the evils of malpractice.
“The penalties for involvement in examination mal practice will always, without compromise, be meted out to erring candidates, invigilators, supervisors, schools, WAEC officials, etc, as would be approved by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making organ of the Council that sits on examination matters in Nigeria,” Areghan said.
The Council assured that results of the exam will be released 45 days after the last day paper while printed certificates will be released to schools 90 days after the release of the results.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has inaugurated an 11-man Committee to conduct a thorough investigation and review of the decisions on dismissal and suspension of Cadets by the Disciplinary Committee of the Police Academy, Wudil, Kano.
A statement by the Deputy Director (Information & Public Relations), Mr. Bolaji Kazeem, and made available to National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reveal that the committee which had the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police Affairs as Chairman comprises representatives of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF); DIG of the Zone; Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement; Director, Police Service Department; Legal Department; Federal Civil Service Commission.
Others are the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Registrar POLAC and Director, Human Resources Management – Member/Secretary were inaugurated at the Headquarters of the Ministry in Abuja.
The Minister pointed out that a thorough investigation and review of the decisions must be conducted following passionate appeals received from some students and parents/guardians of the affected students.
Gaidam revealed that the Disciplinary Committee of Police Academy, Wudil, Kano after various investigations and consideration, unanimously recommended the suspension and discharge of some cadets who were found guilty of committing various infractions in the school including smoking Indian hemp, drinking alcohol, damaging property among others.
In his words, “The recent incidents that have brought us to this moment are a cause for concern, but they also present an opportunity for reflection and improvement. We must approach this investigation with diligence, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to the truth”.
He noted that the objective is not only to address the specific cases at hand but also to reinforce the standards of conduct that define our academy and the values we hold dear and commitment to uphold the integrity and excellence of our esteemed institution—the Nigeria Police Academy.
According to him, “The Nigeria Police Academy stands as a beacon of hope and a pillar of our nation’s security framework. It is here that we mold the future leaders of our police force. However, we are acutely aware that the challenges we face are significant. We cannot afford to allow this credible institution to be turned into a breeding ground for criminals, drug addicts, troublemakers, and law-breakers. Our mission is clear: to produce well-disciplined, thoroughly trained, and professional police officers who not only understand the law but embody it in their actions”.
The Minister charged the committee to be mindful of the broader implications of their work as the integrity of our academy reflects on the entire policing system in Nigeria. It is our duty to ensure that every cadet who walks through these halls emerges not only as a law enforcement officer but as a paragon of virtue and professionalism. Gaidam stressed.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary/Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Yusuf Abubakar Argungu stated that the Ministry received an avalanche of appeals and requests for the review of the decisions of the Nigeria Police Academy, and the Minister directed for the constitution of a committee to look into the matter for fairness and justice before the approval of the Ministry
Leading payment services bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank (MMPSB) continues to delight its existing customers with various freebies for every transaction.
The bank recently announced the launch of a new 100MB data offer for new customers. The initiative aims to encourage people with little or no access to banking services to set up their own mobile wallets using the bank’s USSD banking platform. The promotion is available to Glo customers using the bank’s USSD bank code, *995#.
A few weeks ago, MoneyMaster introduced a 10 percent data bonus on top-ups of 1,000 naira and above for existing and new customers on the Glo network. The offer was rated as one of the best offers in the country in terms of the amount of data offered. Data purchases are valid for 30 days, and any unused data can be rolled over to your next plan.
Commenting on the data offer, Julius Arhebun, head of agency banking at MoneyMaster, said: “as a payment service bank, one of our core mandates is to promote financial inclusion. This offer builds on the various financial education we have been providing online and across our various customer touchpoints.
“With this new 100MB offer, we want to encourage Nigerians in the unbanked and underbanked pools to be financially included by having at least a mobile wallet. The account number of this mobile wallet is derived from their mobile number, and can be easily recalled,” he noted.
MoneyMaster PSB is a leading provider of innovative digital financial products and services that transform lives and contribute to sustainable living. With a mission to deepen financial inclusion, MoneyMaster has been instrumental in providing financial technology services to bridge the gap between the banked, unbanked and underbanked.
Leading real estate and property firm, Adron Homes and Properties, has announced the postponement of the earlier advertised seventh edition of the Adron Homes Games, with the theme Fit to be the Biggest.
The postponement, according to a statement signed by the Group’s Managing Director, Adenike Ajobo, and made available to Pointblank.ng, is as a result security concerns as the company prioritizes the security of its staff, attendees and participants.
Recall that the sports fiesta, originally billed to take place on November 29 and 30, 2024, was scheduled to hold at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
Read the statement in full:
POSTPONEMENT OF ADRON GAMES 2024
Adron Homes wishes to announce the cancellation of the much-anticipated Adron Games 2024.
This decision, was made in the best interest of all participants, stakeholders, and the broader community. The postponement is necessitated by heightened security concerns in certain regions that could potentially jeopardize the safety of staff, attendees and participants.
As an organization that is committed to the well-being of its staffs, partners and everyone involved, priority is designated to safety and security above all else. Also, the organization is taking this opportunity to rethink and restructure its sporting initiatives to ensure public inclusivity
and as part of efforts to enhance and expand the impact of its wellness programs, the Adron Games will evolve into a broader, more inclusive sporting initiative.
This transformation will foster collaboration, unity, and healthy competition among a wider array of participants, and will embody the same spirit of excellence, teamwork, and wellness that the Adron Games has championed over the years.
We deeply regret any inconvenience this decision may cause and hereby extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued staff, participants, partners, ambassadors and supporters for their understanding and continued trust in Adron Homes.
Adron Homes remains committed to inspiring excellence and fostering community engagement through corporate wellness initiatives such as Adron Games at all times.
