Tolulope Israel Adekimi, a Nigerian student recognised with a global Cambridge International Mathematics award, has shared why he believes the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Mathematics examination is easier to approach than the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) Mathematics.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Adekimi explained that although both examinations assess mathematical ability, they differ significantly in the way questions are presented.
“For me, I would say IGCSE Mathematics is somewhat easier than WAEC Mathematics,” he said.
According to him, IGCSE Mathematics questions are often presented through practical scenarios rather than straightforward calculations.
He explained that candidates are first required to understand the context of the question before identifying the mathematical problem that needs to be solved.
“It’s not like they just give you a question like, ‘Solve this’ or ‘Find X.’ Usually, there’s a little story attached to it. The first challenge is identifying the actual question before solving it,” he said.
Adekimi added that consistent practice with past examination questions helps students recognise common patterns used in Cambridge examinations.
“Once you solve a lot of past questions and notice the patterns they use, it becomes much easier to recognise trends and solve similar problems,” he added.
The award-winning student encouraged candidates preparing for international examinations to practise regularly and focus on understanding concepts rather than memorising solutions.
His remarks came during a Channels Television interview alongside Akota-Chika Serena, who achieved the highest global score in Cambridge IGCSE English.
Cambridge IGCSE is an internationally recognised qualification accepted by universities and employers across the world, while WAEC remains the standard secondary school leaving examination for students across Nigeria and several West African countries.