The Zamfara state government has explained the reasons why the N1.6 billion debt to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) cannot be paid immediately.
WAEC announced on Monday that the government of eight Nigerian states has unpaid debts of registration fees from candidates they voluntarily sponsored to take part in its exam for some years.
Nigerian WAEC Bureau Chief Patrick Areghan during a briefing to announce the release of the 2023 results West African Higher School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, revealed that candidates from eight states who owe the examining body will not be able to access their results until the states pay.
Although Areghan did not reveal the identities of all indebted states, he noted that “Zamfara and Niger states are the most indebted.”
Zamfara confirms debt
In a phone interview with Newslodge on Tuesday, Mustapha Kaura, senior special assistant for media and public affairs to Zamfara state Governor Dauda Lawal, confirmed that the state owes WAEC around N1.6 billion.
Kaura said that the debt has accumulated over time since the immediate previous administration of former Governor Bello Matawalle and that of his predecessor, Abdulazeez Yari.
He said: “WAEC has continued to give credit to some very creditworthy and trustworthy states that pay the registration fee for their candidates.
“Unfortunately, some states have been owing large sums of money for years and have simply refused to pay after WAEC has provided the necessary services, thus denying us the funds necessary to carry out our activities.”
Why late payment?
Kaura said the government is committed to paying the debt in full or in installments, but the governor is waiting to get approval once his cabinet is formed.
The governor’s spokesman said: “The N1.6bn is beyond the governor’s unilateral approval. You have to seek the approval of the state executive council.
“WAEC debt will be a frontline issue coming before the cabinet and payment will be made for student results to be released to continue further education.”
Alleged mismanagement
Speaking to Newslodge, Mr Kaura said the state’s huge debt to WAEC is the result of “mismanagement by the previous administration”.
He said previous administrations failed to pay Zamfara’s indigent fees.
However, Mr Kaura said his director, Mr Lawal, had intervened and some 18,000 Zamfara homeless people were allowed to register for WAEC and NECO this year.
“I am pleased to inform you that the current Dauda Lawal administration has strictly intervened and persuaded NECO and WAEC. This year 2023, the WAEC and NECO management allowed Zamafara homeless students to sit for the 2023 WAEC and NECO exams,” she said.
WASCE 2023
In addition to the statements due, the examining body also noted that out of a total of 1,613,733 candidates who sat for the exam, the results of 262,803 candidates are being withheld “due to reports of bad practice in the exam.”
This is how Mr. Areghan announced an improvement in the pass rate of candidates with a total of 1,361,608 candidates, representing 84.38 percent, earned credit and more in a minimum of five subjects with or without English or Mathematics.
Additionally, 1,287,920 applicants, representing 79.81 percent of all applicants, earned credits and more in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
Areghan said that of the candidates who took the exam in Nigeria, only the results of 1,476,565 candidates, representing 91.5 percent, have been fully processed and published, while 137,168 candidates, representing 8.5 percent. percent, have some of their issues still in progress.
He explained that the delay is due to some “deficiencies, indifference, lethargy, incomplete CASS loading, disobedience of rubrics, etc. associated with the schools and candidates in question.”
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