Is Waec Harder Than GCE?

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WAEC and GCE

This has to be one of the most frequently asked questions i get all the time from students who have taken WAEC already and are aspiring to take WAEC GCE as a way to make up for their lack of success in some of the subjects taken in WAEC, so I can assure you that you’re not alone in this

However, that being said let’s get right into answering your question but inorder to do that effectively, we have to make some facts known to you. let’s begin…

WHAT YOU DID’NT KNOW ABOUT WAEC GCE, NECO GCE, NBAIS GCE and NABTEB GCE

It is important to note that Candidates should remember that these exams are quite similar in nature. They follow the same approaches during the exam period, they also present identical question types, and are conducted in a similar way.

• NECO, NBAIS, and NABTEB GCE exams are generally conducted in November/December (or sometimes earlier) every year. On the other hand, WAEC GCE is divided into two parts – one in January/February and the other in August/September. These are referred to as the first and second series, respectively.
• Questions are set with the alternative to practicals (on paper practicals) instead of real practicals (laboratory practicals) that April/May (WAEC) exams use.
• All GCE exams are held at specific centers (secondary schools) in selected towns, unlike the April/May (WAEC) exams, which are conducted in regular secondary schools within the country.

With the above comparisons, it should be easier to have an idea of the similarities and a few differences among these GCE exams.

Are WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and NBAIS GCE Tougher to Pass than April/May, May/June, June/July Type?

As said previously May/June (called internal exam) are conducted at various secondary schools and the GCE types are done at selected exam centers across the nation, then, which one is easier to pass?

This question is a little hard to answer directly, so I won’t be too straightforward but let’s look at different points of view first and finally decide which one might be more friendly.

1. The Main Purpose

The main reason exam bodies start GCE is to give a chance to candidates who left secondary school but didn’t pass their internal exams. With these external (private) exams, they can retake and pass their papers and therefore make up for the subjects they didn’t perform well in during the internal exams.

If you have already completed your SSCE internal exams but want to improve your grades through the GCE exams, it should be easier for you since you’ve already gained significant experience from the internal exams, you’re very likely understand why you didn’t do well. Now, you have an opportunity to demonstrate your improved knowledge.

but in a case where you haven’t participated in school exams before now, GCE might appear strange and eventually make it difficult to pass.

2. Nature of the Exams

Internal exams are meant for SS3 students who have been in the same school from JSS1 to SS3. This ensures that the schools have taught the entire curriculum and syllabus given by the exam bodies before registering their candidates for the internal exams

I was recently opportuned to register a 48-year old woman who had been a receptionist all her years for the WAEC GCE exam, she wanted to study law at a university, for this reason she needed to make Government and Literature because during her time in school as a commercial student, she wasn’t allowed take such subjects as they were not part of the subjects required to be in the commercial class

Considering this, GCE candidates are expected to be more academically advanced than students in their final year. This might make the GCE a bit challenging. However, students who have covered the entire syllabus from JSS1 to SS3 and have a fresh mind, like those in SS2 or SS3, may find the GCE easier.

3. Practicals and Alternatives to Practicals

Internal candidates perform actual practicals in the laboratory during their exams. Exam bodies often provide specimens to the schools to give candidates an idea of the topics that might be included in the exam questions as opposed to GCE candidates

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