WAEC Releases Nov/Dec 2023 Examination Results, Records 44.29% Pass

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February 15, 2024

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2023 November/December West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), for private candidates, second series.

A total of 80,904 candidates sat the examination, out of which 35,830 candidates representing 44.29% obtained credits and above in at least five mandatory subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

30,954 candidates, representing 42.16%, of the total candidates, who sat the same exam in 2022 had a similar result, indicating a slight improvement of 2.13% performance over that of 2022.

Similarly, a total of 17,631 candidates (representing 49.21%) out of the total number, who obtained credits and above in at least five mandatory subjects, including English Language and Mathematics in the exam under review were males while 18,199 representing 50.79% were females, indicating that more females did better as usual than their male counterparts in the exam.

The Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Dr Amos Dangut, announced the release of the results in a statement made available by the council’s spokesperson, Moyosola Adesina, to newsmen.

He explained that only 78,419 candidates, representing 96.93% have their results fully processed and released while 2,485) candidates, representing 3.07% have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some errors traceable to them.

He pointed out that the results of 7,192 (representing 8.89%) of the total number of candidates who sat the exam are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of exam malpractice and their cases would be investigated to determine their fate if their results would be eventually released or cancelled.

He said the council would fast-tract the process and communicate accordingly to those concerns.

He disclosed that the results of all the 211 candidates with varying degrees of special needs including 33 visually impaired, 21 hearing impaired and 30 albinos among others, who sat the exam nationwide had been fully processed and released with that of others.

While the WAEC boss asked candidates to start checking their results on the council’s website given as www.waecdirect.org, he noted that candidates can also start to apply for printing of hard copies of their certificates online through the WAEC Certificate Request Portal (e-Certman) website, given as https://certrequest.waec.ng/

He said a total of 4,162 examiners participated in the coordination and marking of the exam scripts at seven traditional and one-e marking venues nationwide.

He commended them and the security agencies and officials of the council for their efforts.

Gov Lawal Secures Release Of Withheld WAEC Results Of Zamfara Students

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Nzubechukwu Anodo

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February 15, 2024

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Governor Dauda Lawal has secured the release of results of Zamfara State students earlier withheld by the West African Examination Council, WAEC.

According to the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the results were withheld over non-payment of N1.4 billion examination fees owed by the previous administrations in the state.

He said that WAEC officials met with the Governor in his Abuja office where the parties agreed on a plan to offset the backlog of debt.

According to him, the WAEC delegation was led by the Chairman of the Administrative and Finance Committee of WAEC Nigeria, Hajiya Binta Abdulkadir, and the Head of the National Office Nigeria, Dr. Amos J. Dangut.

He said as part of the present administration’s determined effort to ensure that the state of emergency declared in education is seriously addressed, Governor Dauda Lawal hosted the leadership of the WAEC in his Abuja office.

“The Governor who was in the company of the Commissioner of Education, Science, and Technology, Mallam Wadatau Madawaki, discussed with the WAEC officials the issue of outstanding debt owed by the Zamfara state on examinations conducted under the previous administrations.

“The non-payment of the WAEC fees for many years led to the non-release of the West African Examination results for the affected students.

“This caused many students not to participate in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme due to non-collection of their results.

He added that at the end of the meeting, the examination body agreed to release the previous results and allow Zamfara students to participate in the 2024 WAEC examinations.

“The state government and WAEC agreed on a payment plan for a backlog of the debt and the withheld results will be released before the end of this month.”

Don Advocates Inclusion Of AI In Teaching And Learning For Tertiary Institutions

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Nzubechukwu Anodo

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February 15, 2024

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A Professor of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and provost of College of Education, Hong Adamawa State, Benson Yusuf Baha, has advocated the inclusion of AI in teaching and learning in the higher institutions, especially at the colleges of education, where teachers are produced for the basic education level.

He said this will not only impact positively on the traditional way of teaching and learning at this level but will also transform it drastically.

Professor Baha stated this in Abuja recently while delivering a lead paper on the topic The Promise and Peril of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education: Towards a Framework to Regulate the Ethical Consequence of AI in Nigeria, at the maiden biennial conference of the Committee of Provost of Colleges of Education in Nigeria (CPCEN), held at the Ukeje Hall, NCCE.

He said AI has the potential of helping in attaining the sustainable development goals by addressing some of the challenges in education by providing innovative teaching and learning practices, as well as accelerating access to education.

He emphasised that there is an urgent need to harness the full benefits of AI in developing countries like Nigeria, where the ratio of students to teacher is low and access to quality in the rural areas is completely absent.

He highlighted some of the benefits of AI to include personalised learning, robot mediated learning, automated assessment and educational data mining, access to research tolls, administrative efficiency, among others.

He recommended that the government should provide digital infrastructure to colleges of education and other institutions of learning in the country with a view to leveraging the benefits of internet technologies and AI in teaching and learning.

He also tasked the government on the establishment of micro-teaching laboratories for colleges of education, equipped with AI teaching and learning tools to narrow the existing digital divide within learning environments.

The former provost of Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Professor Kunle Filani said the call to revive the fortunes of the nation through a functional education systems that promotes employability, entrepreneurship and global relevance is critical and urgent, while Speaking on the theme of the conference Strengthening the Nigerian Education System for Functionality, Employability and Global Relevance in the 21st century

The provost of Federal College of Education, who is also the chairman of the Committee of Provost, Professor Faruk Rashid Haruna noted that the Artificial Intelligence dubbed as AI and the recent upgrade of the colleges of education to a dual mode are development innovation greeted with mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation.

He said that the conference was put in place to address the pros and cons of development vis-à-vis education, acquired skills and their relevance to the job market in the 21st century.

He noted that with the caliber of the stakeholders and policy makers in education who were gathered at the conference, there was no doubt that the direct application of workable recommendations and solutions to panels and plenary sessions of the conference for the next three day.

He acknowledged the contributions FLEXISAF, a giant IT firm toward the success of the conference and its supports, which he noted underscored the premium focus of the organisers on digitalsing education as well as its presence at the conference to offer support and services to as many as would require such at the conference.

Speaking about the rationale for putting up the conference, the chairman, Local Organising Committee(LOC) of the maiden biennial conference, Dr Yekini said it was an endeavour towards gleaning qualitative papers for the journal of the committee of provost, as a contribution to the ongoing academic discourses such as Artificial Intelligence and the colleges of education dual-mode system, among other education issues.

He lauded the committee of provosts, academic researchers and other dignitaries in attendance for their great turnout at the conference saying that, saying the turnout of provosts of colleges of education has been massive in recent times.

He appreciated members of the LOC as well as leadership of CPCEN for their immense support and contribution towards the success of the conference.

He listed members of the LOC to include, Dr Yekini Tokunbo of FCE, Kontagora as chairman; Dr Stella Ofordile, FCET, Umuze as secretary; Dr Tope Rufus Oziegbe, FCE Adeyemi, Ondo as member; Dr Emmanuel Nnamonu, FCE Eh a-Amufu as member; Dr Gabriel Tunde, FCET Gombe, member; and Dr Moses Osai, Delta State COE, Mosoger also as member of the committee.

UCL: Man City, Madrid Record Away Wins Over Copenhagen, Leipzig In Round Of 16 Ties

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Emenike Agu

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February 14, 2024

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Manchester City and Real Madrid got their UEFA 2023/24 UEFA Champions League first leg round of 16 ties off a brilliant starts thanks to wins away from home.

While champions Man City beat Copenhagen 3-1,
Madrid pipped Leipzig 1-0.

Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden were the scorers for City.

For Madrid, Brahim Diaz’s goal, in the 48th minute was enough to seal the win for Madrid.

The first leg round of 16 games will continue on Wednesday.

In Italy, Lazio will welcome Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich to the Rome Olimpico.

In France, Paris Saint-Germain will entertain Spanish side Real Sociedad.

2023 AFCON Silver-Medal Winning Super Eagles Get National Honour And Other Rewards

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Emenike Agu

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February 14, 2024

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A grateful Nigeria nation has showered National Honours and material gifts on players and officials of the Senior Men National Football Team, Super Eagles for reaching the Final of the Africa Cup of Nations championship concluded in Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu told members of the team at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja on Tuesday: “I am very proud of you. This country is proud of you because you gave us great excitement. Your performance is confirmation that we can achieve so much as a nation if we all come together and unite for positive purposes, despite our diversity.”

“You worked very hard and navigated your way through to the Final. You lifted our spirit; you made us proud and you made us smile.”

The President then conferred National Awards of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) on all the players and their officials, as well as President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.

All the 25 players and their officials are now also proud owners of a flat each in the Federal Capital Territory, as well as a plot of land each also in the Federal Capital Territory.

President Tinubu described defender and vice captain William Ekong, named Player of the Tournament, as a ‘warrior’ and named Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen as ‘Trojan horse’. He praised the Federal Ministry of Sports and the Nigeria Football Federation for their efforts in preparing the team for glory.

Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh described President Tinubu as the biggest sports-supporting President that Nigeria has ever had, and lauded the Nigeria Football Federation for ensuring that for the first time in a long time, Nigeria has returned from a major sporting competition without any crisis or complaints of any kind by the athletes.

Responding, Ekong, on behalf of the entire, thanked the President for the awards and gifts: “I wish we are here presenting Your Excellency with the trophy, but that is not the case despite giving our very best to the campaign. We have two people in this team who have gold medals, each sitting on either side of me (Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo). In 2019, we won bronze medals. This time, we won silver medals. I believe that at the next competition, we will strike gold.”

Also at the occasion were Vice President Kashim Shettima; Alhaji Tajudeen Abbas (Speaker of the House of Representatives); Chief George Akume (Secretary to the Government of the Federation); Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (Chief of Staff to the President); Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Minister of Youth Development); Ezenwo Nyesom Wike (Minister of the FCT); Mrs Tinuke Watti (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports Development), Board Members of the NFF and other top government officials.

AFCON Final: Why Nigeria’s Super Eagles Lost To Cote d’Ivoire – Peseiro

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Emenike Agu

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February 13, 2024

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In his post-match press conference, Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro addressed several factors that he believed contributed to the 2-1 defeat suffered by the Nigerian national team in the final of the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.

Following a series of solid performances in the build-up to the final at Stade Alassane Ouattara, Ebimpe, many tipped the Super Eagles to win a fourth AFCON title in Abidjan.

However, that was not the case as the hosts came from a goal down to secure a 2-1 victory that earned them their third AFCON title following earlier successes in 1992 and 2015.

Bad day at the office

Reflecting on what turned out to be a disappointing final, Peseiro told reporters in Ebimpe that the Super Eagles, among other things, were nervous.

“Cote d’Ivoire were the main favourites for this tournament; they have very good players, wingers, and very fast wingers. Quality wingers in attack, they are a good team but they were almost out, I don’t know if that situation did change the pressure. They were fantastic; they didn’t play with pressure, and they didn’t feel nervous, but on the opposite, my players, my team felt nervous more than their opponents.”

Peseiro also admitted the Super Eagles lost too many balls, which was evident in the final tally of 61 per cent to 39 per cent ball possession in favour of the Elephants.

“We lose many balls; I don’t know why; I don’t think my players were comfortable today. From the back, we lose too many balls, and with that, you allow the opponent to create many chances, and they attack and attack.”

Despite the shortfalls highlighted, Peseiro insists his players deserve to be praised for how far they came and how they gave their best shot at winning the 2023 AFCON tournament.

AFCON: Nwabali Apologises To Fans After Final Loss

By

Emenike Agu

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February 13, 2024

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Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has expressed apologies to Nigerian supporters following the team’s defeat in the 2023 African Cup of Nations final.

Nigeria lost to host Ivory Coast in a thrilling final on Sunday.

The Eagles led for most of the game but later surrendered their one-goal lead to hosts Ivory Coast.

Following the game, Nwabali said the squad will accept full responsibility for the loss and he described the loss as a “frustrating end.”

He however appreciated the country for its support during the competition

He wrote on his Instagram handle: “A disappointing and frustrating end. I deeply apologise to Nigerians. I was once a fan, still a fan and I understand how it feels to give you a disappointing night.”

“We take full responsibility. Thanks for the whole support till the end. I love you all”.

AFCON: Nine Countries That Hosted And Won

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Emenike Agu

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February 13, 2024

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The Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire on Sunday, February 11, beat the Super Eagles of Nigeria to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Eagles took the lead in the 38th minute from a Troost-Ekong header.

The hosts Ivory Coast came back to win the game, thanks to goals from Franck Kessie and star striker Sebastian Haller.

Here are nine countries that have hosted and won the AFCON

1. Egypt (1959, 1986, and 2006)

Since the establishment of the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt has been a frequent participant, having played in 26 of 34 AFCON editions, and having won a total of six.

The Egyptians won the inaugural in 1957 and won last in the year 2010.

They have won three times as host of AFCON in the year in 1959, 1986 and 2006.

2. Ethiopia (1962)

Ethiopia won their first and only AFCON title in 1962 as hosts.

They triumphed over Egypt in the final, winning 4-2 after extra time.

This victory was a significant milestone for Ethiopian football, highlighting the country’s rich footballing culture and history.

3. Ghana (1963, 1978)

Ghana hosted and won the AFCON in 1963 and 1978.

Their first title in the history of AFCON came in 1963.

The Black Stars defeated Sudan 3-0 in the final, showcasing the emerging talent and football passion in the country.

In 1978, AFCON host Ghana defeated Uganda in the final to emerge the winner.

4. Sudan (1970)

During the 1950s to 1970s, Sudan was one of Africa’s best teams.

Sudan hosted the AFCON in 1970 and defeated Ghana in the final.

5. Nigeria (1980)

Summary: Nigeria hosted and won the AFCON in 1980, their first-ever championship in the tournament.

The Super Eagles defeated Algeria 3-0 in the final, a victory that ignited a fervent celebration across the nation and marked the beginning of Nigeria’s rise to prominence in African football.

6. Algeria (1990)

Algeria captured their first AFCON title in 1990, taking full advantage of being the host nation.

They won the final against Nigeria with a 1-0 score line, showcasing a strong team performance throughout the tournament and sparking widespread celebrations among the Algerian populace.

7. South Africa (1996)

South Africa hosted and won the AFCON in 1996, shortly after their return to international football following the end of apartheid.

The Bafana Bafana team defeated Tunisia 2-0 in the final, a victory that held deep significance for the country and its efforts to unify and heal through sport.

8. Tunisia (2004)

In total, Tunisia participated in the African Cup of Nations 21 times, played 80 matches, won in 25 matches, tied 29 matches and lost 26 of them, scored 99 goals and accepted 94 goals.

Tunisia hosted the competition on three occasions in 1965, 1994 and 2004.

They hosted and won in 2004.

In the 1965 edition, Tunisia hosted the competition and reached the final but lost the title to Ghana 2–3 after extra time.

9. Côte D’Ivoire (2024)

The Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire became the latest country to host the AFCON and win it by beating Nigeria in Abidjan on Sunday, February 12.

The Ivorians came back to win by 2 goals to one after William Troost Ekong gave the Super Eagles the lead in the first half.

FULL LIST: All AFCON Awards

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Emenike Agu

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February 13, 2024

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The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) ended on Sunday, February 11, with the hosts Ivory Coast beating the Super Eagles of Nigeria 2-1 in 90 minutes.

The game was followed by an award ceremony where the Eagles received their silver medal and Ivory Coast lifted the illustrious trophy.

Here’s a full list of all the AFCON awards:

Best Goalkeeper – Ronwen Williams (South Africa)

Fair Play Team Award – South Africa

Golden Boot Winner – Emilio Nsue (Equatorial Guinea, 5 goals)

Golden Ball – William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria)

Best Young Player Award – Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast)

Best Coach Award – Emerse Faé (Ivory Coast)

Eagles Express Disappointment After AFCON Defeat

By

Emenike Agu

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February 12, 2024

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The Nigeria Super Eagles have expressed disappointment over their defeat at the 2023 CAF African Cup of Nations final.

The Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire, on Sunday, won the 2023 CAF African Cup of Nations final.

The Ivorians saw off the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a tense 2-1 defeat.

Two strikes from Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller were enough to cancel Troost-Ekong’s opener.

Prior to the game, the Super Eagles players and officials were confident that Nigeria would be crowned kings of Africa.

Reacting to their loss in an X tweet on Monday, the Eagles said even though they feel disappointed, they will cherish the silver medal they won.

“Disappointed, yet we make do with the Silver Medal,” the Eagles wrote.