WAEC New Date State Governors Agree To Reopen Schools For The WASSCE On 3rd August, 2020

WAEC New Date State Governors Agree To Reopen Schools For The WASSCE On 3rd August, 2020

It is no more news that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic has negatively affected all sectors most especially the education that had been on nationwide lockdown for more than three months.

With this increase in the confirmed cases of the COVID19 patients in Nigeria, the Federal Government, State Government, Private School Proprietors and Proprietresses have been in loggerheads with one another on the conduct of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

The Federal Government through the Honourable Minister of Education. Mallam Adamu Adamu has insisted that the Federal Government schools are not ready to participate in this year's WASSCE, because it is not safe for the students and teachers.

Yesterday, the Six South-Western States in Nigeria have indicated their readiness to permit their Senior Secondary School (SSS) students to participate in the 2019/2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

After careful deliberations by various south west state Governors, Commissioners for Education and other stakeholders. They have unanimously reached an agreement allowing the final year SSS3 students resume on the 3rd of August , 2020.

Also, all the six southwest States have reached a consensus on having a meeting with the Federal Government as regards their decision on the postponement of the WAEC examinations by at least another three weeks from the proposed resumption date. 

In addition, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti (State) would directly approach WAEC seeking an extension of the examinations to commence on August 24, 2020.

READ ALSO: FG Gives Fresh Update On Schools Resumption And WASSCE Cancellation

It was concluded that every school reopening must have the presence of incident managers and classroom wardens for every school and every classroom.

At the same time, ensure that the office of the Quality Assurance Department for each state will be issuing a safety compliance certificate to each school before they can reopen.

All stakeholders such as parents, teachers, caregivers, proprietress/head teachers and the pupils will be given intensive training on what is expected of them when schools resume.

In furtherance, only hostel/dormitory accommodation attached to schools would be provided where available to ease logistics and travel challenges of pupils and teachers.

In conclusion, there will be regular Tests and health checks conducted on all students and teachers as a prerequisite for accommodation.

Finally, the south west state governors have also urged the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to embrace the use of Computer-Based Testing whilst each state should deliberately intensify efforts and invest more in education technology.