WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL
CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
PREAMBLE
This examination syllabus is derived from the
Senior Secondary School curriculum on Data
Processing published by the NERDC. It is
designed to test basic knowledge and skills
acquisition in data processing. A conceptual
approach was used in preparing the syllabus,
considering areas that would encourage the
development of entrepreneurial skills for
everyday living.
This syllabus is not a teaching syllabus. It is an
examination syllabus. Teachers are therefore
advised to use the national teaching syllabus for
the teaching-learning process.
OBJECTIVES OF THE SYLLABUS
The objectives of the syllabus are to test
candidates'
(i) acquisition of basic skills of data processing
and management;
(ii) level of competence in ICT applications that
will promote the acquisition of entrepreneurial
skills for everyday living in the global world;
(iii) knowledge in the application of ICT in
facilitating business transaction and education;
(iv) preparedness for further studies in Data
Processing and Management.
EXAMINATION SCHEME
There will be two papers, Papers 1 and 2 both of
which shall be taken as a composite paper at one
sitting.
PAPER 1: will consist of forty multiple-choice
objective questions, all of which are to be
answered in 1 hour for 40 marks.
PAPER 2: will consist of two sections: Sections
A and B. Candidates will be required to answer
five questions in all.
Section A: will consist of four essay questions.
Candidates will be required to answer any three
in 1 hour for 30 marks.
Section B: will be a test of practical work. It
shall consist of two compulsory essay questions
to be answered in 1 hour for 40 marks.
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL
CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
1 INFORMAT i. Computing Candidates
ION AGE devices. should identify
2 the various
History of ii. Concept of computing
3 Computers Number syste devices since
m in computing. the beginning of
Data and counting/compu
Information iii. Generations ting.
of Computer:
BASIC first, second, Should include
third, fourth, the importance
COMPUTIN fifth genera of number
G tions system to
of computer. computing.
Classification
of Computers i. Definition of Relate each
data and generation with
information. its characteristic
feature. describe
ii. Types of each generation
Data. under the
following: year
ii. Ways of of development,
handling Data. basic
component/type
iii. Definition of of technology,
Data. speed of
operation,
iv. storage
Digitalization. capacity/compo
nent.
Classify
computers by: Differences
Type, Size, between data
Usage. and information
should be
emphasized
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
4
6
7 Application of
ICT in
8 everyday life
Components of
Computers The use and
areas of ICT
INFORMATI application
ON should be linked
PROCESSIN to societal
G development.
The art of Examples of
Information each component
should be
processing treated and how
they are used in
INF O R M A data processing.
TI O N TR
ANSMISSIO Description of
N each step
involved in
Process of information
processing is
Information required.
transmission Modes of
information
Medium of transmission
Information such as
Transmission visuals(newspap
er), audio(radio,
telephone),
audio-
visual(GSM,
Television) are
required.
Medium of
information
transmission
such as radio,
television,
newspaper etc.
i. Uses of ICT in
everyday
activities.
ii. Impact of ICT in
the society.
i. Input Devices.
ii. Output Devices.
iii. System Unit.
iv. Storage Devices
i. Definition of
Information Processi
ng.
ii. Steps involved in
Information Processing.
i. Definition of
information transmissi
on.
ii. Methods of
transmitting informat
ion.
i. Types of
Information Transmis
sion.
ii. Classification of
means of transmission.
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL
CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
9 Networking
1 Internet
0
TOOLS FOR
1 PROCESSIN
1 G
1 INFORMATI
2 ON
i. Meaning of Significance
Operating
Networking, Int of
System
ernet and Intranet. networking
should be
Word
ii. Types of mentioned
Processing
Networking. Types such
as MAN,
i. Definition of LAN, WAN
Internet. should be
treated.
ii. Benefits of
internet Candidates
should be
iii. Internet able to
browsers develop
skills in the
iv. Internet use of
security various
services
v. Abuse of the available on
Internet the internet
i. Definition of Differences
Operating Syste between
m. text
(character)
ii. Types of base
Operating Syst interface
em. and
Graphical
iii. Examples of User
Operating System. Interface
should be
iv. Functions of treated.
Operating System.
Candidates
i. Definition of should be
Word Processi able to
ng. make use of
word
processor to
create and
manipulate
documents
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
13 Spreadshe Candidates should
et be able to make
14 use of spreadsheet
Database to create and
Managem manipulate
ent worksheets
System
i. Candidates
should be able to
use DBMS to
create and
manipulate Data
base files.
ii. Include
examples of
packages for
database
management
such as
Microsoft Access.
ii. Uses of Word Processing
iii. Examples of word
Processing software.
iv. Starting, loading and
exiting word processing
v. Creating, saving and
retrieving documents
i. Definition.
ii. Uses.
iii. Examples
of Spreadsheet Applic
ations.
iv. Loading and
exiting spreadsheets.
v. Creating, saving and
retrieving
Spreadsheet files.
i. Definition.
ii. Uses.
iii. Examples
of Database Application
s.
iv. Loading and
exiting DBMS.
v. Creating, saving and
retrieving database files.
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
15 Presentation
16 Packages
17 Web Design
18 Packages
Graphic Packages
COMPUTER
MAINTENANCE,
ETHICS AND
HUMAN ISSUES i. Candidates
should be able to
Maintenance of use presentation
Computer programs to
create and
manipulate slides.
Designing of web
pages not
required.
i. Definition, uses,
examples. Focus should be
placed on Corel
ii. Loading and Draw
exiting Presentation
programs. Candidates should
take note of basic
iii. Creating, saving maintenance
and retrieving procedures.
presentation files.
i. Definition.
ii. Uses.
iii. Components.
iv. Examples.
i. Definition.
ii. Uses of Graphic
software packages.
iii. Examples of
graphic packages.
i. General Cleaning.
ii. Battery Charging
and replacement
for portable
systems and UPS.
iii. DVD drive lens
cleaning.
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
19 Computer
Ethics
20
Safety
Measures
iv. Details of Students should
Hardware maintenance. be able to
ensure data
v. Details of integrity and
Software maintenance. recover data
after a crash
vi. Computer crash and
data recovery. Responsible
ways of using
i. Computer and securing
room management computers
ethics.
Importance of
ii. Laboratory rules safety measures
and regulations. should be
emphasized.
i. The sitting arrangement.
ii. Positioning of
the monitor, keyboard,
CPU, mouse and any
other peripheral devices.
iii. Illuminating
the computer room.
iv. Maintaining a dust
free environment.
v. Keep liquid away
from the computer room.
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
21 Career
opportunities in
22
Data Processing
23
Computer Virus
DATA
MANAGEME
NT
Relational
Model
Duties of each
professional/professio
nal bodies should be
treated.
Destructive effects of
virus infection on
computers
Arranging data in
i. Professions in computer. tables and forms
should be emphasized
ii. Qualities of a good
data processing professio The concept of
nal. primary and foreign
keys, entities,
iii. Computer attributes and
professional bodies. relationships should
be emphasized.
i. Definition.
Query language
ii. Types/Examples. should be limited to
those available to the
iii. Sources. database application
package (e.g. query
iv. Signals of virus warning by example , SQL).
v. Virus
prevention, detection and
deletion.
i. Database and table creation
using application packages.
ii. Creating
relationships between
tables
iii. Creation of forms,
queries and report.
WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL
CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
DATA PROCESSING
S/N TOPIC CONTENT NOTE
24
25
File
26 Organization
Database
Security
Comparison between the
Parallel and
various types of File
Distributed
Organization is required.
databases
Importance of securing data
is required
LIST OF FACILITIES AND MAJOR
EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS REQUIRED
Definitions of concepts is
required. Significance of
The table below shows the minimum
storing data in a distributed
requirement for a class of fifty candidates.
database management system
ITEM EQUIPMENT QUANTITY NO. is also required.
REQUIRED
1
3
i. Definition of
4 File organization.
5 ii. Types of
File organization.
i. Concept of data
security, access
control and data
encryption.
ii. Role of a
database administrator.
i. Basic concept of
parallel and distributed
database.
ii. Storing data in a
distributed database
(DBM)
1
Pictures/Charts showing
different computing devices
and other relevant information
such as computers in a network
Computer system with
Graphical User Interface (GUI),
internet ready system;
Standard software packages
such as Open Office, Microsoft
office etc.(Latest version is
desirable) Multimedia systems
and applications such as
projector, speakers
Graphic packages such as corel
draw.