Abbreviation | WASSCE |
---|---|
Services | Examinations and academic assessments |
Official language | English |
Website | www |
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is a type of standardized test in West Africa. Students who pass the exam receive a certificate confirming their graduation from secondary education. It is administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). [1] It is only offered to candidates residing in Anglophone West African countries. The academic school-leaving qualification awarded upon successful completion of the exams is the West African Senior School Certificate.
The WASSCE tests four core subjects—English, mathematics, integrated science, social studies, and three or four elective subjects. [2]
There are two types of WASSCE examinations:
Under the WAEC Marking and Grading Scheme, the letters A to F indicate how good a result is (while the numbers 1-9 are only used to rank the grades). In other words, To get an A1 in a subject, WASSCE Mathematics, for example, you need to score at least 75%.
Below is a breakdown of the grading system and the points to screen prospective first-year undergraduate students as of 2021.
Grade | Numerical Equivalent (%) | Points (%) | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
A1 | 75-100 | 8 | Excellent |
B2 | 70-74 | 7 | Very Good |
B3 | 65-69 | 6 | Good |
C4 | 60-64 | 5 | Credit |
C5 | 55-59 | 4 | Credit |
C6 | 50-54 | 3 | Credit |
D7 | 45-49 | 0 | Pass |
E8 | 40-44 | 0 | Pass |
F9 | 0-39 | 0 | Fail |
It can be deduced from this table that the least obtainable passing grade is a C6 (regardless of the remarks). Candidates with a D7 and lower (especially in Mathematics and English language) are advised to retake the exam if they wish to pursue tertiary education in a degree-granting institution.
Candidates are advised that they will be required to satisfy not only the university's general entrance requirements but also the requirements of the particular faculty which they wish to enter and that these requirements vary considerably. Particulars of entrance requirements and exemption regulations may be obtained from the universities or professional bodies concerned.
Nigerian senior secondary school students can take either the WASSCE or the National Examination Council (NECO) exam.
Students who choose to study in Nigerian universities are required to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), an entrance examination administered by the state-owned Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Universities in the United Kingdom may require candidates who did not obtain a credit in Mathematics and English Studies to complete a one-year foundation course or acceptable alternative. WASSCE and GCE is the NARIC equivalent of GCSE and A-Levels respectively. [5]
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