The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is responsible for conducting examinations in several West African countries.
Each year, students eagerly await their results to assess their academic performance and progress. However, there are instances where results are withheld, held, outstanding, or even canceled.
In this blog post, we will explore the meanings and implications of these terms in simple English.
- Withheld Result: A withheld result refers to a situation where the published result is not released to the student. This usually happens when there are suspicions surrounding the student’s script. Reasons for withholding results may include grades that deviate significantly from expectations or a considerable number of students achieving the same grade. When a result is withheld, the student will be called upon to defend their performance. After a thorough verification process, the results may be released if no illegal activities are found.
- Held Result: A held result occurs when a candidate is caught engaging in exam malpractice or when a particular examination center is reported to have been involved in such malpractice. In cases of exam malpractice, the result of the entire center will be held, whereas in individual instances, a report is usually written on the examination slip to identify the student and subject involved. Cancelling the result is a possibility in situations involving malpractice, making it challenging to dismiss the judgment.
- Outstanding Result or Pending Result: An outstanding result or pending result indicates that a student has unresolved issues related to their examination papers. These issues may include missing scripts or situations where the student was present for the examination but did not complete all the required papers. In such cases, the outstanding result status arises because some subjects remain uncleared. Students with outstanding results must address these issues to obtain their complete results.
- No Results for this Candidate in the Specified Year: This message typically applies to students who registered for exams at special centers. In such instances, students must visit the designated center to request their results or inquire about the reason their results are not available online. If no exam malpractice was involved, the result will be released after a thorough investigation or rectification process.
Reasons for Withheld Results:
- Suspicion surrounding the result
- Missing scripts
- Errors in the result
- Inappropriate answering of questions
- Violation of examination rules and regulations
- Filling out a malpractice form during the exam
- Mismatch between examination number and script name
Reasons for Canceled Results:
- Caught engaging in exam malpractice
- Writing the exam on behalf of someone else
- Multiple candidates sharing the same examination number
- Repeated instances of examination malpractice in the center
- Disruptions or disturbances during the examination period
Reasons for Results Not Being Uploaded from the School:
- Technical issues with the school server
- Pending clearance between the school and WAEC
- Problems with the examination number or candidate’s name
Possibility of Release for Withheld Results: Withheld results may or may not be released, depending on the circumstances. If a student is not implicated in exam malpractice and their examination details are accurate, there is a chance that the results will be released. However, if the student is found guilty of malpractice, such as possessing unauthorized materials or engaging in misconduct during the exam, the results are unlikely to be released.
Release of Withheld/Held Results: Once a complaint is lodged by the affected student to their school, the school will communicate the issue to WAEC authorities. If the student is cleared of any wrongdoing or irredeemable activity, they can expect their results to be released. This process generally takes around four months for reporting, verification, and publication. Results may be released before the next examination cycle or concurrently with other exams, such as the GCE (General Certificate Examination).
Conclusion
Understanding the various terms associated with WAEC results is essential for students and their academic journey.
Withheld, held, outstanding, and canceled results can be distressing, but it is important to follow the proper channels and engage in due process to resolve any issues.
Remember, honesty and adherence to examination regulations are vital to ensuring fair and accurate results.