First, a committee of experts draws up a marking guide. All appointed examiners are then thoroughly drilled in all aspects of the marking scheme in a simulated marking exercise called co-ordination. Actual marking does not start until the coordinating officers are satisfied that all examiners know what is required of them. Even when actual marking begins, the examiners are not left entirely on their own.

They are organised into small groups, each being supervised by a highly experienced examiner called a Team Leader. The Team Leader checks and vets the group members' marking progressively to ensure that they are keeping to the guidelines.

The Team Leaders themselves are supervised by more experienced examiners called Chief Examiners. When marking is finally completed, WAEC still goes ahead to employ another group of people called Checkers. The main role of Checkers is to ensure that all marks awarded by examiners are correctly recorded and transferred to the appropriate score sheets.

Results are cancelled when candidates are found guilty of examination malpractice.

WAEC does not prepare candidates for its examinations by establishing secondary schools or tutorial centres, and no such institutions are affiliated to the Council.

WAEC provides feedback in the form of Chief Examiners' Report on candidates' perofrmance in the various papers for each examination diet, which helps schools and private candidates to prepare adequately for subsequent examinations. The Chief Examiners' Reports are avialable for sale at the Council's offices nationwide.

A comprehensive list of offences is provided in Council's Regulations & Syllabuses.

  • The following, among others, constitute examination malpractice:
  • Candidates bringing books or cribs into the examination hall;
  • Insulting or assaulting any examination official;
  • Swapping of scripts in an examination hall;
  • Replacing their answer scripts with another one during or after the examination;
  • Impersonation;
  • Taking part in mass or organised cheating in the exam hall;
  • All other acts that contravene the rules governing the conduct of the examination.

WAEC examiners are mostly graduate teachers in secondary schools, and some lecturers in colleges of education, universities and polytechnics. A prospective examiner must be a graduate in the subject he is appointed to mark. In addition, he must have a minimum of two years of classroom teaching experience and must be recommended by the principal of the school in which he teaches.

WAEC certificates have no expiry date.

Yes.

No. The marking of scripts is handled by examiners appointed by WAEC. They are usually educationists who are familiar with the classroom situation and their identities are not supposed to be disclosed.