• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Friday, August 29, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

WAEC Has Made Giant Strides Under My Watch – Arhegan

The outgoing head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Patrick Ehidiamen Arhegan, is an alumnus of the University of Benin with a degree in Political Science from the institution and a wealth of experience in examination and administrative roles. He speaks with SAMUEL ABULUDE on his adventurous years as head of WAEC in Nigeria, why students fail and solutions, among other things.

by Samuel Abulude
2 years ago
in Interview
waec
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

When you became Head of Nigeria WAEC in 2020, you inherited uncompleted projects, how were you able handle the challenge? 

Advertisement

Thank you very much. I resumed the leadership of this organization on the sixth of March 2020. Just as I was about to settle down, COVID-19 knocked on the door. We all know the disruptions and the devastating effects of COVID-19 wrecked havoc on the economy, the social and political life of this country, not just this country, but the whole world. 

So I came in at that time and I couldn’t really start doing anything because we had to go back home. COVID-19 told everybody to go back home so we went back home for month. The pandemic had a telling effects on the finances of every organization, every country and the whole world. In WAEC, we don’t have anything called abandoned projects. My predecessor did his very best and actually initiated some legacy projects and completed some. Since governance is a continuum and time could not permit you to complete some of the projects earmarked because of COVID-19, we had to put a stop to every developmental projects through no fault of ours because there were just no way to continue at that time. And so the projects are still ongoing. I want to re-emphasize the fact we do not have abandoned projects here. They are gigantic projects and definitely they are going to be completed. When we resumed after COVID-19 pandemic, we started all over again. I can assure you that those projects my predecessor initiated or started which couldn’t complete, they are surely going to be completed. If I don’t complete them, my successor, (Dr Amos Josiah Dangut) will complete them

 

So let us look at your own projects that you initiated and has done during your tenure?

RELATED

Why I’m Pioneering Fire-Safe Materials And Greener Fuel Solutions – Scientist

Why I’m Pioneering Fire-Safe Materials And Greener Fuel Solutions – Scientist

7 days ago
I  Lost My Dad At 8 Yrs, Cracked Palm Kernel Before  Becoming A Professor –Ex- Anambra VC

I Lost My Dad At 8 Yrs, Cracked Palm Kernel Before Becoming A Professor –Ex- Anambra VC

2 weeks ago
ADVERTISEMENT

In every home, in every organization, in every society, in a state or in a country, you have what we call needs and wants. You want to do a lot but there are scarce resources. So that calls for prioritization. What are those things you need most, what are those things you need but are not so urgent now, that you can do later? That’s why you need not miss the talk of needs or wants. And so when I came on board, because of the effects of COVID-19, the shrinking resources, we had to prioritize. I called my team and we discussed and agreed on the list based on priority. Since I came on board I have initiated a lot of these needs. When you talk of creating office spaces, infrastructure facilities are always going to be something you keep doing to build capacity. 

Right now in Lafia, Nasarawa State, the office is almost at a completion stage now. They’re going to commission that office and we’re going to move in because currently we are using a temporary office in Lafia. The state government gave us a piece of land and if you don’t develop it within a given period, they will take it back from you and that became a priority. I am happy that we started it and we have completed it and by next month (October), they’re going to open the place for us. 

WAEC is itself 72 years old and all these years we were printing outside. But now have our own printing press. You may be surprised to hear that before I came on board, I had that vision. I had a plan and I told them that if I was appointed as the HNO, I would get the printer. It sounded like a very tall order. Nobody believed that such a thing could happen. But this is something I have prayed to God about. And I began that as far as spiritual motivation was concerned, I was going to do it and I thank God today that on the 28th of November last year, the printing press was inaugurated. I am happy to let you know that, It’s the first of its kind in the whole of West Africa as far as WAEC is concerned. That is my major achievement, as far as I’m concerned. Right now, we can do our printing in- house so that is a very big feat.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

What of Projects you launched and executed and their importance? 

 I have launched a number of projects; technological innovation in our certificates. We are trying to apply technology to better our services and service delivery. today. We can confidently talk of digital certificates. You have heard of it, you have seen people you know accessing the digital certificate platform and downloading the portal. 

 This has improved candidate’s accessibility to get their WAEC results thorough innovation. That is monumental and It has never happened anywhere in Africa.That you will release results and candidates will assess the results simultaneously. It has never happened anywhere. That’s a major achievement. Then we have ‘WAEC verify’ which is like corporations, institutions and others wanting to find out how authentic a certificate of ther applicants is. The digital certificate is not an attempt or wholesale attempt to replace the hardcopy certificate. So, let people should not be afraid oh especially the schools that are trying do away with the hardcopies. 

The institutions should know that digital certificates complement the hardcopy certification and will normally come out 90 days after the release of the WAEC results. So it has come as a relief to me. That will no longer have to wait for your certificate to come out. 

If you are seeking for that job or an admission or whatever purpose. And if you are in America or wherever, your certificate can be verified through the platform just from your mobile device. 

And I want to use this opportunity to clear the air on setting issues. People confuse the two, some people especially in our political who don’t have a certificate. The question you should really ask is do the person have a result not certificate? It is when there is result, then there will be a certificate. WAEC certificate is just a paper showing your result. If you don’t have a result, you can never have a certificate. So we just laugh when we see journalists going to town with news that a politician or a governor does not have a certificate or WAEC is holding on to a governor’s certificate. We don’t keep people’s certificate and neither do we have a duplicate. 

 

You did your WAEC 45 years ago , what has changed and are students better prepared now or not ? 

A lot has changed since I did my WASSCE then WASC/SC O’Level in 1978 when there was no internet and opportunities to cheat as it is now. The present generation have more opportunities and tools to excel more than us but are faced with many factors that compete with their time and focus. Examination malpractice is largely caused by lack of confidence among students and schools to prepare their students for an examination. The schools, parents indulging their children and the society play a role in mass failures among students. We can correct this anomaly by knowing that there are no two ways to excel in an examination other than to study diligently with tools that are available in WAEC portal. We are about unveiling our E-library to future help the students to excel in their subjects.

 


Join Our WhatsApp Channel

Nigerians can now earn US Dollars monthly by acquiring domains cheaply and reselling for profits up to $18,000 (nearly ₦30Million). Beneficiaries include professionals, entrepreneurs, civil servants and more. Click here to start.


Tags: WAEC
SendShare10172Tweet6358Share
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Tinubu Has Made Significant Strides In Rebuilding Nigeria’s Economy – Institute Says

Next Post

Corps Members’ N85,000 Pay: The Quest To Replicate Gesture To Taraba Teachers

Samuel Abulude

Samuel Abulude

You May Like

Why I’m Pioneering Fire-Safe Materials And Greener Fuel Solutions – Scientist
Interview

Why I’m Pioneering Fire-Safe Materials And Greener Fuel Solutions – Scientist

2025/08/23
I  Lost My Dad At 8 Yrs, Cracked Palm Kernel Before  Becoming A Professor –Ex- Anambra VC
Interview

I Lost My Dad At 8 Yrs, Cracked Palm Kernel Before Becoming A Professor –Ex- Anambra VC

2025/08/17
How To End Banditry, Kidnapping – Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association President
Interview

How To End Banditry, Kidnapping – Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association President

2025/08/17
JUST-IN: Gov Mutfwang Slams 24-hour Curfew On Plateau LGA
Interview

Plateau Safer Than Most States – Gov Mutfwang

2025/08/16
How I Handled Wild Passenger In My Flying Days – Capt. Nuhu
Interview

How I Handled Wild Passenger In My Flying Days – Capt. Nuhu

2025/08/16
I’m Proud To Rise Above Conflict To Global Academic Excellence – English Champion, Nafisa
Interview

I’m Proud To Rise Above Conflict To Global Academic Excellence – English Champion, Nafisa

2025/08/09
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

JUST-IN: Many Feared Dead As Sokoto Records Another Boat Tragedy

Jonathan Hasn’t Ruled Himself Out Of 2027 Presidential Contest, Says Ex-President’s Cousin

Court Jails Businessman 6 Months For Cocaine Trafficking

Lagos Records 8,692 Domestic, Sexual Violence Cases In 1 Year

PICTORIAL: Obasanjo Visits Alaafin Amid Row With Ooni

Abu Shouk: Inside Sudan’s Painful Memory

Japan Agency Rating Reinforces Afreximbank’s Credibility, Says Denya

Edo Resident Doctors Laud Okpebholo Over 2024 MRTF Payment, Ezoti Quarters Renovation

Troops Rescue 117 Hostages, Arrest 150 Suspected Criminals In 1 Week

Civil Service Reform Imperative Amid Neutrality Debate, Says FCSC Chair

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.