SUNRISE NEWS, Lagos, Aug 17, 2020 The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates 2020 started on Monday four months behind schedule with claims the Mathematics paper leaked.
However, the Head of Public Affairs, West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Mr. Demianus Ojijeogu, said the answers in circulation were fake.
He said: “No it’s not true. They were fake. Scammers photo shopped past question papers to sway gullible candidates,” he said.
This year’s WASSCE for school candidates is coming four months behind the original dates because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Schools have been told to sit candidates two metres apart to ensure social distancing and implement a ‘no facemask no entry’ policy for all candidates and workers.
There are also regulations about provision of hand-washing materials and quarantine facilities among others.
The examination was going on smoothly when The Nation visited Estate Senior Grammar School and Ilupeju Senior Grammar School in Ilupeju.
Principal of Estate Senior Grammar School, who refused to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said: “The examination is going on. The students are upstairs and they are seated apart.”
At Ilupeju Senior Grammar School, the candidates, occupying five classrooms, all used face masks.
The Principal (names withheld) said each class not more than 17 pupils.
“The government told us there should be not more than 20 pupils in a class. We have 16 or 17 in each class. They all have their face masks on.
“All my staff are at their duty post doing what they ought to do. The students have Chemistry practical tomorrow (Tuesday).
“Thank God they are not many – only 24. There will be 12 of them in each laboratory. The government over-prepared for this resumption,” he said.
Asked about the school’s provision for hand washing and sanitation, the principal took this reporter to six newly-constructed sinks outside of the school’s buildings.
There was running water, and each sink had a bottle of soap for hand washing.
He also showed The Nation two more toilets under construction to expand toilet facilities for the pupils.
The toilets were manned by a sanitation manager who sat close to the entrance.
THE NATION