Over 54% of Lagos students fail 2024 WAEC, says Commissioner

By Lukman Olabiyi

The Lagos State Government has revealed that 54.3% of students who took the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) failed, with only 45.7% achieving credit passes in English Language and Mathematics.

Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun announced this during a ministerial briefing on Thursday, marking the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.

Of the 58,188 students who sat the exam, 31,596 failed, prompting concern. “We held strategic meetings with principals across the six education districts to address the results and adopted a policy to promote only high-achieving students to terminal classes,” Alli-Balogun said. This aims to end mass promotion, encouraging academic excellence.

To boost performance, the state is reviving co-curricular activities like sports, arts, music, and drama, alongside hands-on learning through projects. Principals and vice principals must now teach six and eight periods weekly, respectively, to enhance accountability. The Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) will intensify oversight, reporting truancy, absenteeism, and misconduct. “Teachers guilty of malpractice or compromising standards will face sanctions,” Alli-Balogun warned.

The government has reviewed its 2018 Education Policy and laws to align with global best practices, addressing current challenges. Alli-Balogun noted that despite spending ₦1.577 billion on WAEC fees for 58,188 students, the failure rate remains unacceptable, spurring urgent reforms.