The candidates preparing for the forthcoming West Africa Senior School Examination (WASSCE), will be mandated to wear face mask when the exams commences on August 4, 2020.
The examination body stated that everyone at the exam venues will be required to wear face mask.
In a Press Conference held at the examination’s body Headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, the Head of National office (WACE) Patrick Areghan said that the large number of candidates writing the examination would pose a challenge at this period of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
He added that WAEC would employ strict measures of COVID-19 guidelines stipulated by the government to protect everyone participating at the examination.
He said”So, we must all protect ourselves and people around us to curb the spread of the virus in the country, that is why the conduct of the exam must follow all government’s guidelines and protocols including social/ distancing and the wearing of face mask by all the candidates and every other person that would be at the exams venue.
All schools are also expected to provide thermometer hand-gun, wash-hand buckets with running water, soaps, sanitisers and so forth for use at the exam venue.
The HNO also lamented the huge financial burden on WAEC in conducting the exam, saying it would triple the original budget prior to COVID-19, while calling for support from both federal and state government, corporate bodies and individuals to come to the aid of WAEC by donating items like sanitisers, face masks, and other essential safety measures at any of their offices nationwide.
He further clarified that the time-table for the exam was fixed by all the five members countries and not a sole decision by Nigeria, explaining the decision was reached after due consultation with the respective government.
He also stated that the original schedule of the exams was suppose to last for nine weeks, but has been compressed into five weeks in order to accommodate other exam bodies’ time tables for the conduct of their exams.
Areghan warned schools, candidates and parents not to engage in exam malpractices by patronizing dubious website operator who usually claim to have question paper in their disposal ahead of exam time.
The Federal Government through the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba had on Monday announced that the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination will commence on August 4, 2020.
