South-West states signify readiness to reopen schools for WASSCE

The six South-West states have expressed readiness to conduct the 2020 West African School Certificate Examinations for students in the region.

The unanimous decision was taken by the six state governments at the end of an online meeting by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria DAWN Commission in collaboration with the forum of South-West education commissioners, special advisers on education and the State Universal Basic Education Board chairmen yesterday July 14.

A statement released after the meeting reads in part

“The Forum, after careful deliberations, considering peculiarities of each state and options available reached a consensus on the subject matters and are expressed thus:

On WAEC examinations; State Commissioners for Education have signified readiness to sit students for the 2019/2020 WAEC examinations.

At the least, August 3rd, resumption for final year SSS3 students, states should approach the Federal Government at the first instance seeking the postponement of the WAEC exam by at least three weeks from proposed resumption. In the second instance states should directly approach WAEC to seek an extension of the WAEC Examinations to week commencing August 24.

All schools, when reopening should have in place incident managers and classroom wardens for every school and every classroom. The designation of the Quality Assurance Department for each state to issue a Safety Compliance Certificate to each school before reopening.

Encourage intense advocacy campaigns of the stakeholders – parents, teachers, caregivers, proprietress/headteachers, and the pupils on what is expected of them when schools resume.

“Only hostel/ dormitory accommodation attached to schools should be provided where available to ease logistics and travel challenges of pupils and teachers. Tests and health checks of all pupils and teachers as a prerequisite for accommodation.”

The forum also urged WAEC to encourage the administering the use of Computer-Based Tests while each state should deliberately intensify efforts and invest more in education technology.

Recall that on July 8, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, announced the Federal Government’s decision to cancel this year’s WASSCE examination due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.