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By Gabriel Dike
It was a day of honour for students whose outstanding performances in the May/June 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were recognised and rewarded. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) acknowledged and honoured schools which produced award winning students.
Over 1.8million candidates sat for the examination. Director, Test Administration, Mr. Suleiman Kum, said in 1984, the council instituted two categories of awards – International awards to be competed for by candidates in more than one member country and National awards, restricted to each member country.
Kum explained that to be considered eligible for the distinction award, a candidate must obtain a minimum of eight A1s.
He stated that candidates are considered under merit awards only if enough candidates do not qualify for the distinction awards.
“The results of candidates eligible for an award should have been obtained at the first attempt and at one and the same sitting. The grades would also have been obtained without any hint of impropriety, ” Kum added.
The various awards were presented to the outstanding students at the 63rd Annual meeting of the Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which took place at Umuahia, Abia State.
The ceremony attracted key stakeholders including Governor Alex Otti who was represented by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, NNC chairman, Hajiya Binta Abdulkadir, Registrar to Council, Alhaji Pateh Bah (online), Head of National Office (HNO), Dr Amos Dangut, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Bayelsa, school proprietors/proprietress, principals, parents and students.
In the May/June WASSCE written by 1,805,216 candidates, 72.12 percent obtained five credit passes and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and General Mathematics.
The council honoured three overall best students with cash, certificates, and trophies and were applauded for their performance in the school exam.
Osun State whizkid, Ajisafe Olamilekan, formerly a student of Eemaan Foundation College, Osogbo, beat 1.8million others to bag the national Distinction award.
The 18-year-old who is a 200 level Medicine and Surgery student at Federal University of Health Science, Ila Orangun, Osun State, obtained eight A1 in Marketing, Civic Education, English Language, General Mathematics, Agriculture Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
His total T-score for Ajisafe in the eight best subjects including General Mathematics and English Language is 580.8535.
Among laurels, awards and prizes won by Ajisafe include 1st position in National AMIS science exhibition, 2nd position for creative writing in local AMIS junior school category, two-time 2nd place winner of AMIS semi category debate, 2nd position in Pen Publisher Speech prize-giving competition and participated in Olympiad Mathematics competition.
Another whizkid honoured by WAEC is Onovo Joan, former student of Louisville Girls High School, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State with eight A1 in the school exam.
Onovo who is studying Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos, recorded A1 in Data Processing; Economics, Civic Education; English Language; Biology, General Mathematics; Physics and Chemistry. She had a T-score of 576.2304 in the best eight subjects.
She emerged as the overall best nursery and primary school graduand, 1st position in Nunu Mike Primary Mathematics competition; finalist at American Mathematics competition 2018; finalist at the National English guru competition 2021; state finalist at the President’s Inter-secondary schools debate championship 2022; overall best student from JSS3-SS3; 1st position in the Catholic Faith competition 2023; multiple Certificate Excellence and best student awards from JSS – SS3; obtained 336 in 2024 UTME and emerged the valedictorian of Louisville class of 2024.
The third prize national distinction winner, Mbah Mac-Donald, former student of Marist Brothers Juniorate, Uturu, Abia State, also obtained eight A1 in the school exam.
With a T-score of 575.7032, Mbah recorded A1 in Civic Education, English Language, General Mathematics, Agriculture Science, Biology, Chemistry, Animal Husbandry and Computer Studies.
The Imo State whizkid is studying Medicine and Surgery at Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti.
Awards and prizes he won are overall best student and first position from nursery to secondary school; overall best student in JSS mock examination; Star Club inductee (JSS1-JSS3) for constantly recording average score above 85%; 12th position in Olympiad Informatics 2023; 13th position Olympiad Junior Science 2020/2021; 2nd position in Abia State Chemistry competition; top four finalists in Interswitch SPAK 5.0 national competition; multiple awards of excellence in Spelling Bees; and 1st position in the annual Intercollegiate Debate at Afe Babalola University.
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Speaking to the Daily Sun after the award, Ajisafe, said after seeing the UTME result, he changed his study pattern and studied with brilliant students in higher class to prepare him for the WASSCE.
The Osun State whizkid who reminded other students that education is not a scam, said he had enough study materials for the WASSCE as well as a study group that ginger each other.
He revealed that during his preparation, his Mum reported him to the school principal over his constant pressing of his phone and advised other students preparing for exams to stay off their phones and concentrate on their studies.
Ajisafe whose first semester 100 level CGP is 4.94, said the weekend and coaching classes helped him and others in the school, adding, “my target was to score above 300 in UTME and excel in WASSCE.
The Eemaan Foundation College Proprietor, Bankole Kamorudeen Tunde, told our Correspondent that “I feel like I am on top of the World for honour brought by Ajisafe performance and award. I must say it is God’s favour on the school.”
Bankole described Ajisafe’s performance as the best outing in WASSCE recorded by the school, which started presenting students for WAEC five years ago.
He added: “My wife is the brain behind the success. I engage public school teachers on a part time basis to help out in some subject areas.Our teachers undergo continuous training to boost students performance. The school presented 13 students for the WASSCE. Two of them including Ajisafe obtained eight A1 in their subjects.”
The 2nd overall best student, Onovo told the Daily Sun that she was overwhelmed when she received the news of her performance and the award by WAEC.
His words: “I worked for it. I had a normal study routine and I try to read to understand every subject. My parents were expecting to do well and I was pushed to meet their expectations.”
Onovo showered encomium on her teachers, saying, they were patient with us. I asked them several questions. Some teachers made sacrifices to coach students ahead of each paper.”
Eemaan Foundation College and Louisville Girls High School were presented with the Omo N’Oba Erediauwa Coronation trophies for producing the best male and female candidates in the WASSCE.
The best school award went to Ekasus Secondary School, Nduetong, Oku, Uyo, Akwa Ibom and were presented with the Augustus Bandele Oyediran trophy producing the best aggregate results in the WASSCE in 2024.
The council also accorded recognition to two candidates with special needs (visually impaired category) in the school exam.
The overall best male in the WASSCE went to Ugwu Chiemerie, former student of College of Immaculate Conception, Uwani, Enugu State with a T-score of 413.4326.
Ugwu, is currently studying Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Abiodun Olubunmi, a former student of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, emerged the overall best female in the special needs category.
The Kwara State whizkid is studying Educational Guidance and Counselling at the University of Ilorin.
In his speech, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, said WAEC continues to occupy a pivotal place in the educational landscape of West Africa, noting, “your work shapes the standards that mould millions of young people across the region.”
Otti who was represented by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, acknowledged the proactive steps WAEC has taken in strengthening the credibility of examinations.
In his address, WAEC Head of National Office (HNO), Dr Amos Dangut, said the NNC is the highest policy-making organ of WAEC in Nigeria and the membership of the committee is made up of experienced and distinguished Nigerians. Dangut disclosed that the committee ensures that the policies of the council in Nigeria are formulated and executed in the best public interest, and to guarantee the smooth conduct of WAEC’s operations in every part of the country.
He said WAEC, which has grown in leaps and bounds in the lastv73 years, would continue to deliver its mandate of being “Africa’s foremost examining body, adding value to the educational goals of its stakeholders.”
