The 2020 West African Examination Council (WAEC) will commence on August 17, the Federal Government has declared.

To this end, it asked secondary schools to reopen on August 4, 2020 for students in exit classes to sit for the exams.

The government said students will have two weeks to prepare for WAEC.

These were parts of decisions taken at the end of a virtual consultative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, Commissioners of Education of the 36 states, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the proprietors of private schools and Chief Executives of examination bodies.

In a statement by Director, Press and Public Relations, FMoE, Ben Goong, stakeholders at the meeting agreed the exit classes should resume immediately after the Sallah break to enable them prepare for the exam.

“The meeting also resolved a passionate appeal be made to the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and public spirited Nigerians for assistance to schools across the country to enable them fast track the preparations safe reopening, as agreed.

“Another meeting is to be convened tomorrow between the Federal Ministry of Education and Chief Executives of examination bodies namely NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS to harmonise their examination dates, which will be conveyed to stakeholders expeditiously by the Federal Ministry of Education,” the statement said.