Candidates’ weaknesses include:

(a.) Inability to write extensively on the chosen essay titles.  They wrote far below the required number of words;

(b.) Inability to write argumentative essays properly. They did not balance their arguments;

(c.) Lack of in-depth knowledge of some recommended textbooks, especially

Literature texts;

(d.) Inability to indicate the question numbers attempted;

(e.) Appalling/illegible handwriting;

(f.) Deficient/wrong use of tone-marks;

(g.) Poor knowledge of modern Yoruba orthography;

(h.) Carelessness and lack of knowledge of punctuation marks.

Teachers should try to address all these identified weaknesses from the beginning of students’ course in secondary school. Parents and students should buy recommended texts and students should be encouraged to read the texts. The use of library or project method could be employed to circulate some copies of prescribed texts amongst students.