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VOL. 2, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Comparison of item parameters of WAEC, NECO and NABTEB mathematics multiple-choice questions obtained using IRT in Anambra state
Authors
Nnedi Somto Kanyo-Egwuonwu, Romy O Okoye
Abstract
WAEC, NECO and NABTEB are examination bodies
responsible for the award of senior school certificate in Nigeria. The purpose
of this study is to compare the means of item parameters of 2022-2023
Mathematics multiple-choice questions (MCQs) set by WAEC, NECO and NABTEB. The
study was guided by six research questions and six hypotheses. It employed a
descriptive survey design. The population is made up of 57,150 SS 3 students of
public secondary schools which includes 22, 421 that registered for WAEC, 31,
613 that registered for NECO and 3,116 that registered for NABTEB. The sample
size was 1600 respondents obtained through Multi stage sampling procedure. The
instruments for this study consisted of WAEC, NECO and NABTEB 2022 and 2023
Mathematics multiple-choice examination questions. The instruments for the
study were administered to the respondents by research assistants who are the
Mathematics teachers of the sampled schools. The collected data were subjected
to item analysis using MPLUS Version 7.4 software statistical analysis in IRT
framework. To answer the research questions, the means of the parameters for
each examination body were obtained. To test the hypotheses, the means of the
parameters for the three examination bodies were compared using One-Way ANOVA
at 0.05 level of significance. The researcher found out that NABTEB sets the
most difficult questions, followed by WAEC, while NECO took the least position
in 2022 Mathematics. In 2023, NABTEB sets the most difficult, followed by WAEC,
while NECO took the least position in Mathematics. NABTEB sets the most
discriminating questions, followed by WAEC, while NECO took the least position
in 2022 Mathematics. On the contrary, WAEC sets the most discriminating
questions, followed by NABTEB, while NECO took the least position in 2023
Mathematics. In the year 2023, NABTEB sets the most guessable questions,
followed by NECO, while WAEC took the least position in 2022 Mathematics, while
NECO sets the most guessable questions, followed by NABTEB, while WAEC took the
least position in 2023 Mathematics. The study also revealed that there was a
significant different in difficulty, discrimination and guessing indices of
questions in Mathematics within the period under review. Based on the findings,
it was recommended among others that WAEC, NECO and NABTEB should improve more
on the item analysis of their test items.
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Pages:78-85
How to cite this article:
Nnedi Somto Kanyo-Egwuonwu, Romy O Okoye "Comparison of item parameters of WAEC, NECO and NABTEB mathematics multiple-choice questions obtained using IRT in Anambra state ". International Journal of Advanced Education
, Vol 2, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 78-85
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