Important Information about WAEC Nigeria

By this mandate, the Council is expected to:

• Assist in the development of sound education
• Ensure that educational standards are maintained
• Give the people of West Africa a vision of the great potentials which lie beyond examinations.          .

WAEC’s vision is to be a world-class examining body, adding value of the education goals of its stakeholders. Its mission is to remain Africa’s foremost examining body, providing qualitative and reliable educational assessment, encouraging academics and moral excellence and promoting sustainable human resource development and international cooperation.

In its sixty years of existence, the Council has achieved its mission in very large measure. For instance it has over the years developed a team of well-trained and highly motivated staff and has administered examinations that are both valid and relevant to the educational aspirations of member countries. Its certificates enjoy international recognition. WAEC has also been promoting the ideals of hardwork and honesty in the youth through its awards for outstanding performance in its examinations.

The Council conducts several international and national examinations in all member countries except Nigeria where it has shed all but one of its examinations, The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates in May/June and private candidates in November/December.

VISION

To be a world-class examining body adding value to the educational goals of its stakeholders.

MISSION
To remain Africa’s foremost examining body, providing qualitative and reliable educational assessment, encouraging academic and moral excellence and promoting sustainable human resource development and international
co-operation.

CORE VALUES

• Excellence
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Accountability
• Transparency
• Team work
• Innovativeness

STRUCTURE OF THE COUNCIL
The Council, which now operates under a revised convention signed in 2003 consists of 34 members, representing the Governments, the Universities, Secondary Schools and other interests in the five member countries. Under the Convention, the chairmanship of the Council rotates every three years among present member-countries. Prof. Pius Augustine Ike Obanya of Nigeria is the current Chairman. The first Chairman under the Convention was Nigeria’s Professor M. 0. Oyawoye whose term spanned from 1985 to 1988.

Nigeria is represented by 12 members, 5 of whom are nominees of the Federal Government. The Director of Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja is statutorily the Chief Government Nominee on the Council. He is also the Chairman of the Nigeria National Committee of the Council and the Administrative and Finance Committee.

Appointed by the Government
Barr. D.C. Uwaezuoke, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja.
Col. Shehu Ibrahim (Rtd), 32, Ali Akilu Road, 2nd Floor, Suite 10, Kaduna.
Mrs. Dorothy Nwoke, Hits The Spot Restaurant, House 102, 4th Avenue Gwarinpa Housing Estate, Abuja.
Dr. Olu Ogunye, 156, Surulere Street, Esso, Ondo State.
Arc. Dahiru Saidu, No 19, Dawaki Quarters, Opposite Children’s Park, Emir’s

Council functions through committees which include:
The International Administrative and Finance Committee
The International Examinations Committee
The International Appointments Committee
The International Tenders Board
The National Committee(s)

THE EXECUTIVE ARM OF THE COUNCIL
The Chief Executive is the Registrar whose office is at the Headquarters Office in Accra, Ghana. Each member country has a National Office which is headed by a Head of National Office, who is in charge of the activities of the Council in that country, while the Registrar coordinates the five National Offices. In addition, the Registrar supervises the Head of Research Division (the Headquarters of which is in Nigeria, with branches in the other countries); the Director, Human Resource Management; Directors of Audit and Finance; and the Director of Administration.

The Council’s functions in each member country are carried out through two line Divisions: the Test Development Division and Test Administration Division. While the Test Development Division produces the syllabuses and tests to be taken, the Test Administration Division conducts the tests, and issues results and certificates. In achieving their goals, the two Divisions are actively supported by the General Administration, the Computer Services and Finance Divisions. The Heads of these five divisions report to the Head of National Office.

FINANCING THE OPERATIONS OF WAEC
The Council has two main sources of revenue to execute its operations. They are examination fees and subventions from the various governments.
Because education is regarded as a social service by the governments of member-countries of the Council, the Council is not allowed to charge economic fees for conducting examinations. The understanding has been that the shortfall between the operating costs and the fees collected, would be provided by the governments in the form of subventions. The various governments have tried to fulfil their obligations but the shortfalls have never been fully provided.

Government subventions to Council are usually in two parts:

Funds for the International Obligations.
Funds for national operations.

Funds for the Headquarters expenses which constitute the International Obligations of member-countries to Council are apportioned from time to time following agreed parameters. The current ratio is as follows:

Nigeria 54.25%
Ghana 30.01%
Sierra-Leone 6.91%
The Gambia 6.54%
Liberia 2.29%

The apportionment is arrived at, using such factors as workload, and number of candidates, among others. The government of each country is expected to meet the short-fall in the budget for the national operations.

THE WEST AFRICAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL ENDOWMENT FUND
In 1982, the Council set up an Endowment Fund mainly for collecting/receiving donations to prosecute its major capital expenditure of establishing a Security Printing Press; administer excellence and merit awards for outstanding performances in its examinations and fund other educational projects and research.

• Prof. Pius Augustine Ike Obanya – Chairman of Council

• Barr. Daniel Chike – Vice Chairman

• Mr. Baboucarr Buoy
• Mr. Alpha A. Khan
• Mr Karamo S. Bojang
• Mr.Momodou Lamin Tarro

(c) Repesenting Ghana

• Mr. Benedicta N. Biney
• Major S.M Tara (Rtd)
• Mr. H. Tackey
• Prof. K. Osam
• Mr. K. Awua – Peasah
• Mr. S. Ofori Adjei

(d) Representing Nigeria

• Barr. D.C. Uwaezuoke
• Col Shehu Ibrahim (Rtd.)
• Mrs. Dorothy Nwoke
• Dr. Olu Ogunye
• Arc. Dahiru Saidu
• Lady Agodi N. Onyeaso
• Alhaji Garba Kamaye Mohammed
• Hajia Fatima Abdulalrahaman
• Mr. Jili Dandam Danjuma Esq
• Mr. V. Adegoroye
• Mr. A.O Ogunruka
• Mr. Ishegh – Nor Orje

(e) Representing Sierra – Leone

• Mr. M. Sallieu – Kamara
• Mr. Solomon Fofona
• Mr. Nabie Kamara
• Mr. Michael Samba
• Dr. (Mrs) Dele Sannoh

(f) Representing Liberia

• Hon. (Dr.) Mator F. Kangbai
• Hon. Roselyn H. Swaray
• Mr. Momo Kamara
• Prof. (Dr.) Saaim W. Naame

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