The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that a total of 1,814,344 candidates from 22,239 schools have registered for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), set to commence today. Dr. Josiah Dangut, the council’s Head of National Office (HNO), revealed this information during a pre-examination interactive session with journalists in Lagos on Monday.

Dr. Dangut highlighted that candidates would be examined in 76 subjects, comprising 197 papers, with approximately 30,000 practicing Senior Secondary School teachers nominated by various Ministries of Education to supervise the examination. He emphasized that all necessary arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the examination, which will span seven weeks and six days across four WAEC member countries: Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra-Leone, and Liberia.

Furthermore, Dr. Dangut noted a significant increase in both male and female candidates compared to the previous year, with 902,328 male candidates and 912,016 female candidates registered for the 2024 WASSCE. He attributed this rise to the continued efforts to promote education and awareness among students and stakeholders.

Addressing concerns about security during the examination, Dr. Dangut assured that WAEC has collaborated with security agencies to provide adequate security, especially in areas prone to insecurity. He also reiterated the council’s zero-tolerance policy towards examination malpractice, warning that stringent penalties would be imposed on erring candidates, supervisors, and schools found guilty.