Follow Us on Google
By Gabriel Dike and Seye Ojo, Ibadan
Are girls doing better than boys in schools including in public examinations? The question has been agitating the minds of some stakeholders in recent times based on academic performances of female students.
The observation may have some elements of truth as reflected in the dominance of female students in public examinations, tertiary institutions convocation ceremonies and even competitions.
Just few days ago, the three overall best candidates in the May/June 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) rewarded with cash, certificates and trophies, were all girls.
At the 59th Annual Meeting of the Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, November 18, 2021, it was applause galore for the three girls honoured for their outstanding performances in 2020 WASSCE.
Out of 1,538,445 candidates who sat for the examination in 2020, 17- year-old, former student of Princeton College, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, Victory Yinka-Banjo emerged the overall best. Daughter a of lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), she emerged the overall best with 8A1 in Civic Education, English Language, General Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Studies and Catering Craft practice.
She is currently studying Computational Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. In the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), she scored 335. She also scored 1,540 out of 1, 600 in 2020 SAT.
With examination number 4252067/039, she had a total T-score of 606.3196 for the candidate in the eight best subjects including General Mathematics and English Language.
Laurels, awards and prizes she won included World Best Candidate in Nov/Dec 2019 Cambridge IGCSE; first position, South Africa Airways Essay Competition; African Regional winners, Technovation Girls International App Building Challenge, Gold award, Queens’ Commonwealth essay competition, top ten National Microsoft and Adobe competition, first position, National Travel essay competition, overall best academically in Math, English in science, in JSSII, JSS III, SSS I, SSS II and SSS III.
Others are honourable mention, Trust for Sustainable Living essay competition, most influential student at leadership training, recipient of the first ever outstanding excellence in leadership award at Princeton College and 2nd position in public speaking competition.
Another 17-year- old former female student of Emerald Laurel Comprehensive College, Ibadan, Oyo State, Dorcas Adebowale, emerged second best candidate with 8A1s. With exam number 4310642/002, she obtained A1 in Civic Education, English Language, General Mathematics, Agricultural Science, Biology, Physics and Catering Craft Practice. She had a total T-score of 601.2198
She has been offered admission to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ibadan. She scored 322 in 2020 UTME.
She won best WASSCE result in the history of the school, best graduating students in CISCO certificate exam 2020, won scholarship to Lead City University, Ibadan, and co-winner of Omo Oloore quiz competition in June 2018.
The 3rd prize went to Confidence Nwaozuzu, former student of Total Education Development Academy (TEDA), Eke-Owerri, Abia State. With total T-score of 599.605 and exam number 4012348/042, she recorded 8A1s in Data Processing, Economics, Civic Education, English Language, General Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Computer Studies. She scored 217 in 2020 UTME.
She won best students in Mathematics in JSS II, best performed student, in JSS III mock exam, TEDA in 2017, 2nd best student in 2018 for SS1, Gold in Scrabble competition in 2019, best in Mathematics in SSS II, overall best science student in SSS II, best graduating science student 2020 and best in 2020 WASSCE.
Governor Seyi Makinde at the event acknowledged the contribution of WAEC in delivering quality education, especially in the conduct of examinations. Represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Abdul Mojeed Mogbonjubola, said: “Education will forever remain the only veritable tool of socio-economic development and the best legacy to bequeath to the children and youth of Oyo State.
“I urge this committee and management of the council not to rest on their oars in evolving more strategies and initiative that would drastically cut down the incidence of examination malpractice or eliminate it completely. In spite of the myriad of problems plaguing the education sector, WAEC has remained a symbol of success in the promotion of quality education as well as regional integration and cooperation among member country.”
NNC chairperson, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, said WAEC has over the years delivered on its mandate to the stakeholders and also leveraged on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to improve its service delivery: “The improved service include online registration of candidates for both WASSCE school and private exams, deployment of quick response code on its certificate, e-marking adaption of computer based test and electronic certificate management.”
Abdulkadir, who is Director, Senior Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, said despite the disruption caused by COVID-19 pandemic and insecurity in the country, the council conducted WASSCE for school candidates in 2021:
“The three best candidates will be honoured with national distinction/merit awards with cash prizes, cheques and certificates. It will interest you to know that the winners of the national distinction/merit awards this year are all females.”
She added that the three best schools in WASSCE 2020 in Oyo State would be presented with the WAEC Endowment Fund Book prize, worth $5,000. The schools are Makers High School, Ologuneru, Ibadan, Pace Setter Comprehensive College, Odoona, Elewe, Ibadan and Air Force, Secondary School, Iyana-Offa, Ibadan.
WAEC also honoured St. Francis College Osogbo, Osun State, for producing the best male candidate. The school was presented with Omo N’ Oba Erediauwa Coronation Trophy.
Also for producing the best female candidate, Yinka-Banjo, Princeton College, Aguda, Lagos, was presented with Omo N’Oba Erediauwa Coronation Trophy.
Ayotudne Adeosun of Air Force Comprehensive School Iyana-Offa, Ibadan, Oyo State, with 7A1s won the WAEC/VATEBRA Merit Award for Best Overall Male Candidate in Public Secondary Schools in all subjects. He is studying Mechatronics Engineering at Nile University, Abuja.
Seventeen-year-old Nkechineyre Okorie, former student of Federal College of Education (Technical) Secondary School, Akoka, Lagos, with seven 7A1s, emerged WAEC/VATEBRA Merit Award winner for Overall Best Female Candidate in Public Secondary Schools in all subjects. She is studying Mass Communications at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Yinka-Banjo’s mother, Dr Chika, described her daughter as exceptional girl that worked hard: “When you put in a lot of work, you will get result. She puts in a lot of work in the right places and she has been getting results in that line.”
She disclosed that Victory got 19 full scholarships in North American universities: “She chose one. It was not by accident. She got admitted to University of Lagos and was number one on the list.”
The second best winner, Adebowale told The Education Report: “My heart is full of joy and gratitude to God and my school. A lot of people stood by me, my teachers, principal and the proprietress.”
She said she was on part scholarship at her school and would have left for public school because her parents couldn’t cope with the fee. She advised students to pay full attention to their studies.
Nwaozuzu, the third position winner said teachers and parents supported her. She commended WAEC for the award: “I want to make my mom proud because she supported my studies.”
