Comparative Analysis of WAEC and NECO SSCE English Language Results in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study compared students’ results in WAEC ( West African Examinations Council) and NECO (National Examinations Council) SSCE (Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination) English Language examinations in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. The study was limited to public senior secondary school students' SSCE (WAEC and NECO) English Language results in Ilorin, Kwara State, for the period of two years. A total of 600 students’ results were selected for this study from five Local Government Areas using multi-stage sampling techniques. Ex post facto research design was adopted for this study; and the instrument for this study was a proforma titled “Students’ Achievement in English Language Inventory”. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages were employed to provide answers to the research questions raised, while Spearman Rank Order Correlation Co-efficient was used to test the hypotheses formulated at 0.05 significant level. Findings of this study revealed that majority of the respondents sampled passed English Language in WAEC at credit level for the year 2018 and 2019, while the performance of students in NECO is positively related and comparable in English Language. It was, therefore, recommended among others that the examining bodies should also continue to meet the standards of test construction procedures. They should ensure that experts are engaged in their activities, especially in test construction and administration. They should always strike balance by giving out items that are fair to all candidates, so that they will not see their questions as inferior to other examining bodies. KEY WORDS: SSCE; WAEC; NECO; English Language; Results. About the Authors: Oyeyemi Jumoke Jekayinfa, Ph.D. and Aminat Ozohu Aburime, Ph.D. are the Lecturers at the Department of Arts Education, Faculty of Education UNILORIN (University of Ilorin), Ilorin, Nigeria. For academic interests, the Authors are able to be contacted via e-mail addresses at: jekayinfa.oj@unilorin.edu.ng and aminataburime@unilorin.edu.ng Suggested Citation: Jekayinfa, Oyeyemi Jumoke & Aminat Ozohu Aburime. (2021). “Comparative Analysis of WAEC and NECO SSCE English Language Results in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria” in EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies , Volume 14(1), August, pp.49-60. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI with ISSN 1979-7877 (print) and ISSN 2621-587X (online). Article Timeline: Accepted (June 1, 2021); Revised (July 3, 2021); and Published (August 30, 2021).