Why do people write GCE examination?
The GCE Examination (General certificate of education) is an examination hosted by different examination bodies like WAEC (West African Examination Council) and NECO (National Examination Council).
This exam is held at different times of the year, it has a January session and a December session. This examination can be written by anybody from any walk of life like craftsmen, tradesmen, and secondary school leavers.

But, Why do people write GCE examination?
The GCE examination is an examination whose chief purpose is to allow individuals who have left secondary schools to be able to get a certificate that is capable of qualifying them for any future ambition they may have for education, or for employment. It is an important variant of examination for every individual who has left secondary school.
Imagine a scenario, where a graduate of a particular university wants to take a U-turn in their career. Like wanting to switch from engineering to political science. It’s very possible that the graduates may not have all the required subjects which will make them qualified for that switch of an academic field.
This examination is very flexible, because a candidate can easily choose to register for WAEC GCE or NECO GCE.
Characteristics of the GCE examination
- No age restriction: It’s not a common sight to see older people in GCE examination halls. This examination caters mainly to people who have left secondary school with some deficiencies in their results, and it’s not restricted to any age or class of people.
- Alternative to practicals: In internal examinations of WAEC or NECO, it’s common to have candidates do live practicals during the examination practical sessions, but in this examination, the alternative to practical option is more common. In this alternative to practicals, candidates are not presented with any specimen; as it is believed that they have prior knowledge of what the specimens are, and of any other factor. GCE candidates can be told to identify or label parts of an animal, machine, or object. All of the activities in alternative to practicals are done on paper.
- Examination environment: GCE examinations are conducted in halls or locations which may be unfamiliar to a candidate. In this examination, candidates can be posted to towns that they don’t live in, or in unfamiliar locations in their towns. So it’s a different factor to consider. This is different from what is observed in internal WAEC or NECO examinations, where the candidates are used to their examination hall or the invigilating officers.
Frequently asked questions about GCE Examination
Can I write GCE instead of WAEC?
Yes. It should be noted that higher institutions can accept either GCE or WAEC certificates for admission considerations and processing.
Can I use GCE for applying to international universities?
Yes. It should be noted that higher institutions can accept either GCE or WAEC certificates for admission considerations and processing.
Can I use GCE for applying to international universities?
Yes.
You can use the WAEC GCE to seek admission into universities in countries like Canada. You just need to meet the required number of O’level credits for admission.
The GCE is an examination variant of different examination bodies like WAEC and NECO. They are aimed at satisfying the academic needs of individuals who have finished secondary school but wish to resit for O’level examinations to have a chance for passing some subjects or changing their academic field.
This is an examination that features people from all walks of life, from tradesmen to unemployed teenagers. The main bone of contention is that this examination is out to serve private individuals.
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