INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF COVID 19 PANDEMIC ON EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS IN NIGERIA : A CASE OF 2020 WAEC EXAMINATION IN THE SOUTH EAST

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In Wuhan, China, there was an epidemic of a viral illness (Coronavirus: COVID-19) at some point in 2019. This virus recently morphed into a devastating pandemic, posing a severe danger to global public health and resulting in the entire lockdown of major cities throughout the world, including Nigeria (Lin et al., 2020). Because of the dread of being infected by this terrible illness, schools have been forced to close early, and citizens have been instructed to separate themselves and keep social distance (Sintema, 2020). Due to the deadly Coronavirus that was ravaging the entire world, all institutions cutting across primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions were instructed to close down the current academic session towards the end of March 2020, 27th to be precise, through a press briefing by the Minister of Health in Nigeria.

The onset of the COVID epidemic has shown not just the terrible condition of infrastructure and facilities in Nigeria's health sector, but also the truth of the education sector's dilapidation and underfunding. Apart from health, no other sector has been affected by COVID-19 more than education. While many countries have easily adapted and switched to virtual classes, in Nigeria, it is not only difficult but also impossible to open our schools virtually due to a lack of facilities, poor internet network provision, unstable power supply, high mobile data costs, and other challenges.Many children were out of school even before COVID-19.

Due to the outbreak of the corona virus in 2020, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) was suspended, which had an impact on the school calendar because students who were supposed to apply for admission to tertiary institutions could not do so because they needed their secondary school certificate. This was made worse in the south east, where the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) tampered with the tests despite being permitted to take them.

1.2       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The external exams (WAEC,NECO, and GCE), which were scheduled to take place in April, June, and August respectively, were postponed indefinitely by the examination organizations due to the advent of the covid 19 pandemic and with schools being advised to shut down to minimize the spread of the virus. The stakes for the WAEC are usually high (Sintema, 2020). These tests validate student accomplishment and provide for objective and transparent placement of students in the labor market, institutions, and for scholarship consideration. Because of the high stakes of these exams, students spend millions of hours preparing each year for assessments that may or may not be genuine. Unreliable tests reduce the incentives for human capital development, encourage poor pedagogy in schools, and erode employers' trust in school diplomas as a signal of human capital, all of which might have major repercussions for the labor market and economy.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The following are the primary objectives

1.        To investigate the effect of the covid 19 pandemic on external examinations in the south east Nigeria.

2.        To find out if student performance in this examination will be affected because of the covid 19 pandemic.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1)        What is the effect of the pandemic on external examination

2)        In what ways did the pandemic affect the performance of students in 2020 WAEC, GCE and NECO exams?

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will provide an insight into the effects of COVID-19 Schools close down on the Senior Secondary School examination. This study will help the administrators to ascertain the level of damages the schools close down has caused. Furthermore, the study will again be helpful for researchers, students and lecturers. Government official, policy makers and schools administrators will benefit from the recommendation of the study.

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research work is aim to assess the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on external examination in Nigeria. The study will also find out if student performance in this examination will be affected because of the covid 19 pandemic. Hence the study will be delimited to 2020 WAEC examination in the South East.

1.7       LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Finance, availability of material and time were limitations the researcher encountered during this study.

Time Constraint

The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS

COVID 19: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as illness caused by a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; formerly called 2019-nCoV),

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION: This is an examination given by someone outside a school, faculty etc

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