The West Africa Examinations Council says 878,040 or 52.97 per cent of 1,544,758 candidates who sat for May/June 2016 examination obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.
Head of National Office of the council, Mr Olutishe Adenipekun, stated this during the release of the results for senior secondary school students in Lagos on Friday.
Adenipekun said performance of candidates was encouraging, compared to the 31.28 per cent and 38.68 per cent recorded in 2014 and 2015 respectively in the same category.
He added that out of those that sat for the examination, 1,014,573 of them representing 65.70 per cent obtained six credits and above.
He attributed the improvement to better commitment on the side of the students, teachers and governments at all levels.
“We should join hands to sustain this positive trend so that our children will reach their desired academic peak and the country better for it,’’ he said.
Adenipekun, however, said that the results of 137,295 candidates were withheld due to examination malpractices.
“The cases are being investigated and reports will be presented to the appropriate committee of the council.
“The committee’s decisions would be communicated to the affected candidates through their schools’’, he said.
He noted that of the figure that sat for the examination, 825,650 were males, representing 53.5 per cent while 718,585 were females and represented 46.5 per cent.
The head of office added that out of the total number of the candidates that sat for the examination, 1,393,907 candidates had their results fully released.
“However, 158,718 others that sat for the same examination had a few of their subjects still being processed.
“This is due to some errors mainly traceable to the candidates and schools in the course of registration or writing the examination.
“Such errors are however being corrected by the council to enable the affected candidates get their results fully processed and released subsequently’’, he said.
He noted that 1,167,484 others, representing 75.60 per cent obtained five credits and above, while 1,282,204 others representing 83.03 per cent obtained credit and above in four subjects.
Adenipekun also said that 1,370,04 candidates, representing 88.72 per cent obtained credit and above in three subjects, while 1,438,679 others obtained credit and above in two subjects.
The WAEC boss said that 133 visually impaired candidates registered and sat for the examination nationwide.
“Only 23 of the candidates, representing 17.29 per cent, obtained credits in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.’’
Adenipekun said candidates who sat for the examination would be able to check details of their performance on the council’s results website within the next 24 hours.
He warned that individual candidates or some state governments that were still indebted to the council may not have access to the council’s website for their results.
“We have some candidates and even a few state governments that still owe registration fees for this examination.
“We appeal to such persons to please pay up so as to access their results.
“However, some of these state governments have made pledges of paying up soon, so, I plead with them to step up efforts and pay up.
“Our doors are open for negotiations so that we can reach an agreement and then release the results in order not to jeopardize the future of our children’’, he said.