How WASSCE Questions Are Set

The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is a prestigious standardized test administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to assess students' academic knowledge and readiness for higher education or the workforce. The process of setting WASSCE questions is meticulous, ensuring fairness, relevance, and integrity.

1. Role of Subject-Specific Teachers

WAEC relies on the expertise of subject-specific teachers to craft examination questions. These individuals are not randomly chosen; they are highly experienced educators who have marked WASSCE exams for years and possess a deep understanding of the syllabus and the assessment criteria. Their familiarity with both the curriculum and the marking process ensures that the questions are relevant, balanced, and adhere to the required standards.

2. Submission Process

Selected teachers prepare examination questions along with a corresponding marking scheme and detailed rubrics. These documents outline the expectations for responses, including step-by-step scoring guidelines, ensuring consistency in marking. Once prepared, the materials are submitted to WAEC for further scrutiny.

3. Committee Review and Question Selection

After receiving the submissions, WAEC convenes a committee to review the questions. This committee comprises experts in various fields and representatives from WAEC. The committee evaluates the following aspects:

Relevance to the syllabus: Ensuring the questions align with the curriculum.

Clarity and fairness: Questions must be straightforward and suitable for the intended academic level.

Diversity: A variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, structured questions, and essays, are included.

Only questions that meet these rigorous criteria are selected for printing and inclusion in the examination papers.

3. Preparation of Supplementary Questions

To safeguard the integrity of the examination, WAEC prepares additional supplementary questions. These serve as backup in the event of an exam paper leakage. This proactive measure ensures that the examination process remains fair and credible, upholding WAEC's reputation for excellence.

4. Final Quality Assurance

Before printing, the selected questions undergo a final review to eliminate errors and ambiguities. This multi-step process ensures that the examination papers are ready for distribution and meet the high standards expected of WAEC.

Read Also : Structure of Elective Mathematics WASSCE

Conclusion

The process of setting WASSCE questions demonstrates WAEC's commitment to maintaining the credibility and integrity of its examinations. By involving experienced educators, rigorous reviews, and contingency measures, WAEC ensures that students are assessed in a fair and professional manner, reflecting its mission to promote academic excellence across West Africa.