WAEC changes names of examinations to conform with period of writing papers

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has with immediate effect changed the names of four of its examinations.

The examinations are the May-June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the November-December (Nov-Dec) WASSCE and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

With the changes in the names, the May-June WASSCE is now known as the WASSCE for School Candidates while the Nov-Dec WASSCE now becomes WASSCE for Private Candidates. 

According to WAEC, the previous names of the two examinations did not actually reflect the period within which the examinations were written.

For instance, the WASSCE for school candidates now starts in early February and ends in May; previously the examination ended in June.

The Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, told the Junior Graphic that the change took effect this year and would reflect in the examinations which have been written so far. 

“The WASSCE for private candidates is called Nov-Dec, but look at the period the candidates write the examination. Some of the papers even start in August and end in the first week of October.” 

“The name does not reflect the period of the examination any longer, so it is now known as WASSCE for Private Candidates,” she indicated.

Regarding the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), she said the main examination written in June was called BECE for School Candidates while the February one for resitters and first-time private students is now known as BECE for Private Candidates.

A total of 274,262 candidates sat for the WASSCE for School Candidates this year while 128,292 candidates wrote this year’s WASSCE for Private Candidates. Regarding the BECE, 460,930 candidates wrote the school examination while 1,413 sat for the private candidates’ examination.