Explainer: Was Samuel Jackson Right about WASSCE statistics?

Was Samuel Jackson Right about WASSCE statistics?

Samuel Jackson, a supporter of the Coalition for Democratic Change and an economist, appeared on Okay FM https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=266770369290802 July 6, 2023 with a claim that (16:14mins) the CDC government has the highest number of division one and division two students ever in the history of Liberia because of the free WAEC policy.

We look at if the claim is current.

Before 2018, 12th-grade students sat an annual exam called The Liberia Senior High School Certificate Examination (LSHSCE) Prince Nagbe, Head of WAEC Liberia Public Affairs Office said.

But in 2018, the exam name changed to the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

 What is WAEC?

The West African Examinations Council-(WAEC), a regional examining body, headquartered in Accra, Ghana, was established in 1952 after the Governments of Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia enacted the West African Examinations Council Ordinances in 1951. 

Liberia became the fifth member of the Council in 1974. 

We contacted Samuel Jackson via Whatsapp to establish if he was referring to WASSCE or WAEC.

Jackson wrote “Without watching the tape I googled the distinction between WAEC and WASSCE. Obviously I meant the latter. Thanks.”

We also contacted The Head of Public Affairs at WAEC Liberia, Prince Nagbe who informed us that “there is nothing to compare. WASSCE began in 2018 during the tenure of the CDC government and since then the government term has not ended.”

“Moreover, the Liberia Senior High School Certificate Examination had divisions one, two, and three, but WASSCE does not have divisions one, two, and three. It only has the top three candidates who have sat the exam.” Prince Nagbe, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC Liberia said.

Conclusion: Jackson’s claim and his response to our inquiry indicate that he was incorrect. Because WASSCE does not have divisions one, two, or three, only the top three candidates who have taken the exam.

Explainer by: Campaigners against misinfo and disinfo in Liberia in partnership with the Liberia Fact-Checking Network. Liberia Fact-Checking Network was established in March 2023 to hold Political Candidates and their followers, journalists, influencers and citizens accountable to the facts during and after the October 2023 polls. It is made of three partners: Campaigners against misinfo and disinfo in Liberia, The Stage Media and Local Voices Liberia including other individual fact-checkers.