The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) may be forced to delay the release of May/June 2015 WASSCE result for 19 states over their inability to offset the N4 billion debt they owe the council for entry fees for state government sponsored candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE and council registration fees for 2014.
The council was forced to resort to this measure because the situation was threatening the smooth running of its activities as regards meeting its financial obligations to its supervisors, examiners and service providers, especially as the affected states had refused to respond after writing them.
Charles Eguridu, head of the Nigeria National Council, WAEC, enjoined the affected states to off-set the registration fees as soon as possible, as “they cannot guarantee the release of results of their candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE.”
Although Eguridu declined to name the affected states, feelers from industry watchers indicate that the states may include those experiencing financial challenges and the inability to pay workers’ salary.
The states, according to recent report, may include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Ekiti, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, and Kogi. Others are Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers and Zamfara states.
Industry watchers observe that this development portends serious academic dilemma for the future of Nigerian students.
However, Eguridu promised to name the states after the results are released, saying “listing the debtor states just after the new government was sworn in will not be fair to the states concerned.”
According to him, “WAEC is not a profit making organisation and our service is to humanity, and our fatherland. When the state requested to be granted this facility, we allowed them because over the years, it has been the practice for state sponsored candidate to be registered on credit, and the states usually meet this financial obligation to WAEC.
“We are crying out because we don’t have any other place to go to, to source for money than to appeal to the debtor states to meet their financial obligation to the council.”
He apologised to the examiners and supervisors affected and also appreciated them for their patriotism and sacrifices in ensuring that the examinations were successfully conducted and the papers properly marked.
KELECHI EWUZIE/ IFEOMA OKEKE
