The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has introduced 39 new subjects in its examinations.
Mrs. Olayinka Ajibade, the Council’s Acting Head of Test Development Division, made this statement, adding that the new subjects would commence in this year’s May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The announcement was made during the Council’s monthly seminar in Lagos last Friday while Mrs. Ajibade delivered a paper titled “The New Senior Secondary Education Curriculum in Nigeria: Implications for Assessment.”
She noted that the initiative to introduce the new subjects was in line with the new secondary school curriculum introduced by the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council (NERDC).
The NERDC is saddled with the task of reviewing the curricula for primary and secondary schools in the country.
“The implementation of the new SSCE curricula began in September 2011, meaning that the maiden public examinations based on the new/ revised curricula are expected to be held in May/ June 2014.
“Each WASSCE syllabus is derived from the senior secondary education curriculum. In addition to the 39 new subjects for which NERDC engaged in curriculum development, curriculum review was also carried out for 35 existing subjects,” Mrs. Ajibade said.
The new curriculum includes four new elective subjects: Computer Studies, Insurance, Store Management and Office Practice, while the remaining 35 subjects are in the Trades category.
The subjects in the trades category include Painting and Decorating, Photography, Salesmanship, Plumbing and Pipe Fitting, and Upholstery.
Mrs. Ajibade explained that the new directive requires students to take four core subjects comprising English Language, General Mathematics, Civic Education and Trade/ Entrepreneurial Studies.
