To find out if SSCE is the same as WAEC, let us examine the full meaning of SSCE and WAEC.
SSCE is the short form of Senior School Certificate examination while WAEC is the acronym of the West Africa Examinations Council.
SSCE By WAEC
The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC), is the organization responsible for conducting examinations on senior secondary level subjects for students who are in the final year of senior secondary school. The organization operates in Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
WAEC registers candidates for two examinations at the senior level each year. One examination is for senior secondary school students who are in the last level of senior secondary education. This exam is called West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.
The second examination that WAEC is responsible for is called the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates. As the name suggests, this particular examination is for candidates who have left the school system. They may be public or private service workers, or students who have graduated from secondary school without passing all the registered subjects and wish to re-sit those subjects.
Both the WASSCE for School Candidates and WASSCE for Private Candidates use the same syllabus, although the WASSCE for Private Candidates may have fewer subject choices due to logistics.
SSCE By NECO
The National Examinations Council (NECO) is a Nigeria-based examinations body that also conducts examinations for final year students of senior secondary schools in Nigeria. NECO is in charge of the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for final year Primary School pupils, and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for final year Junior Secondary School students in Nigeria.
NECO calls the examination that it conducts for final year senior secondary school students; Senior School Certificate Examination. WAEC also refers to the examination for senior school students as the Senior School Certificate Examination but with West African attached before it.
So, to answer your question of whether SSCE is the same as WAEC, the answer is yes, SSCE is the same as WAEC because that is the name of the examination WAEC conducts. WAEC is the examination body while SSCE is the examination that it conducts. WAEC issues a certificate after the examination called WAEC Certificate.
You may be wondering that since SSCE is the same as WAEC, then what of NECO? Is NECO SSCE? The answer is yes, NECO also has an examination for final year senior secondary school students and private candidates called SSCE Internal (for school candidates) and SSCE External for private candidates.
Key Things To Note About Whether SSCE Is The Same As WAEC
WAEC SSCE and NECO SSCE are both examinations to be taken after the completion of senior secondary school.
A candidate can sit for one or he can sit for both examinations.
The examination template is usually the same, with essay writing, multiple choice questions, and practicals.
The certificates issued for both the SSCE conducted by NECO and the SSCE conducted by WAEC are on the same level. This means that none is higher than the other.
Any of the two SSCEs is recognized by tertiary institutions and other allied organisations.
Postscript
If you are preparing to write the Senior School Certificate Examination, either with NECO or WAEC, you will find the SSCE English Past Questions and Answers useful in helping you to get ready for the examination.
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