Chairman of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Prof. Ato Essuman, has assured the Federal Government of Nigeria of its commitment to ensuring the integrity of public examinations in the country and the sub-region.
He gave the assurance when he led a delegation of the WAEC management which includes the Registrar to the council and the Nigeria National Head of Office when he paid a courtesy call on the Nigerian Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu in Abuja.
“Our singular purpose as a council is our resolve to maintain the integrity of public examinations”, he said.
Like many organizations, he said WAEC no doubt has to contend with the realities of the times and make itself relevant to its many stakeholders, particularly, the government of member countries.
That, he said requires some introspection in the way business is conducted.
Despite the challenges it faces, the chairman assured the Nigerian Education Minister that he would put in his best in all circumstances to fulfill the expectations of several member countries.
As a responsible and responsive organization, he noted that the Council would seek ways of improving its service delivery to stakeholders.
He informed the Minister that the Nigeria National Office embarked on the establishment of a Digital Printing Press for the printing of examination security materials, the first to be owned by the council in Nigeria.
The project which is nearing completion, according to him has been stalled because the office is unable to fund the acquisition of a particular machine that is vital to the operation of the system.
Prof. Essuman used the opportunity to remind the Minister that the council through the head of the national office has solicited government financial support to enable WAEC to procure the machine.
The council chairman commended the government’s continued support from the inception of WAEC in 1952 till the day, saying, “Nigeria has stood out in the comity of member nations not only in the discharge of its obligations to the council but even in the promptness with which most of the obligations are discharged.”
He lauded the Education Minister for his efforts and contribution toward the successful conduct of WASSCE in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Essuman also appreciated Adamu for approving a marginal upward review of the fee for WASSCE to enable the national office to keep afloat and serve Nigerian children optimally in the face of rising costs of goods and services across the sub-region.