The West African Examinations Council is to have its examinations for private candidates twice a year. This adjustment will be effective from 2017, the examination body has announced.
WAEC conducts the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates on an annual basis. The GCE (General Certificate Examination) as the test is more widely known, has until recently been designated as a November/December ‘diet’; WAEC’s new policy will create two windows for the examination- first in January/February, and a later one in August/September –replacing the one exam per year system.
The council’s registrar, Iyi Uwadiae, revealed WAEC’s plan to members of the press in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday. He said that the change was being made to give private candidates a greater opportunity to get secondary school certificates.
The new dates would apply to all WAEC member countries. However, the WASSCE for school candidates will maintain its May/June date.