The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential election contender, Peter Obi, has stated that the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) performance in Nigeria decline of 7.69 percent compared to that of last year, is indicative of a deficiency in educational funding. Out of the 1,805,216 candidates that took the examination, a performance analysis revealed that 1,301,941 candidates (representing 72.12 percent) scored credit and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. When comparing the 2024 WASSCE to the 2023 exam, the 2024 pass rate dropped from 79.81 percent to 7.69 percent.
In his recent statement, Peter Obi stated that the decline in performance is a clear indicative of a concerning underfunding of Education in the country. Obi listed development, health, and Poverty alleviation as additional crucial areas that could have an impact on educational performance. He contended that even though Nigeria boasts a Literacy rate of more than 50 percent , the country still falls short, ranking as the 187th on global level. Obi demanded that the federal government take immediate action to rectify what he called Nigeria’s educational performance’s “constant decline.”
Geopolitical zones exhibit variations in academic achievement.
According to the presidential contender, ₦330.3 billion was set aside for capital expenditures across the board for the education sector, including the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). Such an amount is obviously inadequate for a nation with roughly 81,520 primary schools and 23,550 secondary schools, he continued. The West African Senior School Certificate Examination results of Nigerian students are a crucial gauge of the caliber and standards of the nation’s education. The results have fluctuated over time, reflecting the difficulties and advancements in the educational system.
Students’ overall performance has slightly improved in the last few years. Nevertheless, only roughly 50 to 60 percent of candidates had credits in five subjects, including English and mathematics, frequently fluctuating. Nigeria’s geopolitical zones exhibit significant variations in academic achievement, with students located in the South-West and South-East regions typically outperforming their peers in the North-East and North-West, where access to and facilities for education are more constrained. Approximately 79.81% of students that sat for the examination in 2023 got at least five credit passes, including passes in English language and mathematics.
Nigeria does better than many other West African nations.
This showed a marginal improvement over prior years, suggesting a trend of inconsistent performance over time. Regional educational standards and issues might be better understood by contrasting Nigeria’s WASSCE results with that of other African nations, especially those that are part of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) system. In the overall WASSCE results, Nigeria does better than many other West African nations, but Ghana is a strong rival, particularly when it comes to consistency and the absence of regional inequalities.
Although specific numbers may vary annually, the pass rate in Ghana has been comparatively steady, with roughly 65-70% of candidates obtaining similar outcomes in recent years. Other African nations like Gambia, and Liberia remain behind Nigeria. Peter Obi’s claim of underinvestment in education comes regardless of some notable efforts the government has made in the sector. Taken for instance, the Federal Government allotted about 10 percent of the entire National Budget to the sector in 2023. Governments have set aside substantial amounts of funds for Teacher training programs aimed at improving the qualifications of more than 100,000 educators.
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Approval has been made for a system-wide strategy to completely restructure the education sector in order to enhance learning and skill development. States like Akwa Ibom provided ₦779 million to fund 48,797 students’ WAEC fees for 2023–2024. Similarly, Lagos has authorized ₦1,571,076,000 for the registration fees and additional expenses of 58,188 Senior Secondary School (SSS3) pupils for the 2024 WAEC. Although there are still obstacles to overcome, including a lack of Finance and regional differences as well as the need for uniform policy execution, these initiatives show the government’s dedication to raising educational standards and WASSCE performance in Nigeria.