WAEC Postpones WASSCE 2020 Over Coronavirus In Nigeria

Coronavirus in Nigeria has taken a new twist with WAEC postponing WASSCE 2020 over the deadly COVID-19.

NewsOne Nigeria reports that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has postponed the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, 2020 indefinitely over the outbreak of coronavirus in Nigeria.

This burgeoning online news platform understands that this was disclosed in a statement issued by WAEC Nigeria’s Head of National Office, Patrick Ehidiamen Areghan on Friday, March 20.

Areghan said in the statement that the examination scheduled to begin April 6, 2020, in member countries, was postponed as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement reads in part: “The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Nigeria, nay, the West African sub-region, has decided to put on hold the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination

(WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2020, earlier scheduled to commence on April 6, 2020.

“This is as a result of the impact of the novel and deadly Corona Virus pandemic (COVID-19) and the serious implications it has for the conduct of the WASSCE for school candidates, 2020, coupled with the anxieties it has generated among the populace.

“This decision is a demonstration of the organisation’s concern and support for the various protocols being put in place by the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria and the governments of the other member countries to check the spread of the disease.”

The WAEC Head of National Office in Nigeria said the timetable for the examination had been suspended and would be “reviewed once the health situation improves.”

NewsOne Nigeria reports that the development is coming after the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the closure of all tertiary institutions and unity schools across the country.

On Thursday, the Lagos State Ministry of Health confirmed it has four new cases of COVID-19. This was announced by the State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi.

On Wednesday, the Federal Ministry of Health announced five new cases including a 6-week old baby and her mother. The latest additions, increased Nigeria’s cases to 12 after it had just two cases for a number of days.

One of the first two cases has since tested negative with the index case, an Italian believed to be on his way to testing negative too. In the briefing on Thursday, Abayomi said 19 people were tested with four of them testing positive.

The Commissioner of Health said the first of the four new cases who tested positive to the disease was a woman who had contact with the woman who came from the United Kingdom some days ago who was tested positive.

According to Abayomi, the second new case was a female who returned from France on the 14th of March on a Turkish airline TK 1830. The third case was a Nigerian male in his 50s who had not travelled anywhere but was tested positive to the disease.

Speaking further, the Commissioner of Health revealed that the 4th new case was a Nigerian male who arrived in the country on the 13th of March from Frankfurt to Lagos on Lufthansa airline, flight number LH568.

The Lagos State Commissioner, however, said more tests were still being carried out adding that, “we have a combination of imported cases and local transmission. The Executive of Lagos State is meeting on the next stage of social distancing.

“The best way to slow the rate is to halt the movement of the virus from person to person,” he said.

The Commissioner of Health appealed to people on the two flights to self-isolate themselves and reach the government.