West Africa Examinations Council WAEC has spent over N1.5 billion to conduct the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations.
The Head, WAEC National Office in Nigeria, Mr Areghan Patrick, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the 2021 budget defence before the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services.
Mr Areghan Patrick added that over 1.5 million candidates sat for the examination, while 80, 000 officials were engaged to mark the papers.
He said that each candidate paid N13, 900 as examination fee, adding that only registration and administration fees came to the council’s coffers.
According to him, WAEC is not a revenue-generating body but an assessment body that collects money to conduct examinations for students, while money collected from candidates does not belong to WAEC but service providers.
The head who stated that the council was currently having a deficit of N7 billion, pleaded that the 2020 budget should be fully released to the council as money collected from candidates was not enough to conduct the examinations.
In a remark, the Chairman of the committee, mr Julius Ihonvbere commended the council for its service to the nation, reiterated the committee’s support for the council.
He queried the council for its revenue generation drive and urged it to emulate the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
NAN