ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF SUPERVISION OF WAEC ON THE STANDARD OF SSCE IN TARABA STATE

Abstract

The conduct of the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) by the West African 
Examinations Council (WAEC) relies on a chain of well-organised administrative processes, 
which are critical for a credible examination. This study aimed to determine the extent to which 
WAEC's supervision process has promoted the standard of SSCE in selected senior secondary 
schools in Taraba State. The research utilised WAEC supervision as a variable to explain the 
standard of examination in Taraba State. A mixed-methods research design was employed, with 
data generated using a Google Forms questionnaire and interviews. The study population 
comprised 479 teachers from 16 selected secondary schools in Taraba State. The sample size was 
calculated as 210 using Krejcie and Morgan's sample table (1970), with an additional 10% added 
to account for potential respondent errors, as suggested by Israel (2013), resulting in a sample 
size of 231. The usable sample size for analysis was 228. Quantitative data were analysed using 
simple percentages, while the hypothesis was analysed using multiple regression tools. The 
findings indicate that the Supervision Mechanism has a strong positive influence on the Standard 
of Examination during the SSCE in Taraba State. The study recommends that WAEC strengthen 
its supervision during examinations by training supervisors and employing more rigorous 
monitoring techniques such as surveillance cameras and biometric verification, to prevent 
malpractice and ensure examinations are conducted securely.