65,775 Candidates Write WAEC Exams In PH Zone

A total of 65,775 candidates from 558 schools are participating in the on-going May/June examinations being conducted by the West African Examinations Council in Port Harcourt Zone.

The Zonal Co-ordinator, Deputy Registrar, Patrick Ehidiamen Areghan disclosed this yesterday in an exclusive interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt.

Mr Areghan, who resumed duty last month, said he was determined to execute the mandate of the council in the zone in spite of all challenges.

“Our mandate is to conduct credible exams, release results and print and release certificates acceptable in any part of the world”, he said, adding that “we are trying our best and will do everything possible to actualise the mandate”.

The Zonal Co-ordinator further disclosed that apart from wide spread sensitisation of all stakeholders, the council has initiated strategies to contain the challenges posed by the riverine territory. I challenge you to visit the centres and the riverine and I’m sure you will be amazed,” he said.

He called on all and sundry to be examinations friendly and shun attempts aimed at promoting malpractices in the move to better standard of education.

Mr Areghan thanked the government of Rivers State for its support, describing the relationship between the council and the Rivers State Ministry of Education as wonderful and mutually beneficial.

Our education correspondent, who visited some centres, reports that there is a lot of improvement in the conduct of the examination compared to what the nation had witnessed in public examinations as rowdiness that normally rule examination environments were not seen.

Principal of Holy Rosary College, Port Harcourt, Mrs Veronica Efika, expressed gratitude to WAEC for what she described as remarkable improvement.

She said Holy Rosary has taken uncompromising stand on examination malpractices and other anti-social practices, adding that this has reduced the intake in the school.

Chris Oluoh