The West African Examination Council (WAEC) on Tuesday announced guidelines for the conduct of its senior secondary school certificate examination amid coronavirus pandemic.
This follows the announcement on Monday by Emeka Nwajuiba, Minister of State for Education, the date for the commencement of WAEC examination in the country.
The PUNCH reported that Patrick Areghan Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC released the guidelines in which he stated that the examination would hold for five weeks.
Areghan, who spoke at a press briefing in Lagos State on Tuesday, said, the examination body has taken due cognisance of the various measures and protocols rolled out by both the federal and state government while conducting the examination.
Guidelines listed by WAEC include the provision of handwashing facilities, with running water, soaps, hand sanitizers and thermometer hand-gun to check the temperature of all concerned by schools.
Others are compulsory use of facemasks by all examination functionaries, including the Council’s staff on distribution, supervisors; invigilators, inspectors, candidates and school officials daily and throughout the duration of the examination.
While assuring parents and the general public that the exam body will adhere strictly to laid down measures, he added that more classrooms, halls and many supervisors and invigilators would be used to ensure that candidates sit two metres apart to ensure social and physical distancing.
“This has certainly raised the supervision fee to be paid to supervisors as well as the provision of Personal Protective Equipment to staff, supervisors and other examination officials,” he said.
“No doubt all these measures have financial implications which were not contemplated at the time of drawing up the budget for the conduct of the examination.”
He further pleaded with federal and state authorities for personal protective equipment for WAEC personnel ahead of the examination which starts first week in August.
Areghan also warned schools and candidates against any form of examination malpractice.
On the timetable for the examination, he aid, “The final international timetable has been sent to all the WAEC Zonal and Branch Offices for onward dispatch to schools and Federal and State Ministries of Education.”
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