WAEC Syllabus for Office Practice & Textbooks 2024/2025

The WAEC syllabus for Office Practice is the topic you must study to sit for the examination. It contains the aims and objectives, notes and format for the Office Practice exam.

Studying the Office Practice subject is necessary for your exam preparation. It will serve as a guide for you to know the topics to read. There are also notes on concepts you should pay attention to learning.

Exam preparations without using the Office Practice are like going to the farm without your agricultural tools. You will end up not being productive.

Ensure you begin your exam preparations using the syllabus.

This post contains the Office Practice and recommended textbooks of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

WAEC Office Practice

OFFICE PRACTICE

EXAMINATION SCHEME

There will be two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, which will constitute a composite paper and will be taken in a sitting.

PAPER 1: Will consist of fifty multiple-choice objective questions, all of which should be answered within one hour for 50 marks.

PAPER 2: Will consist of a question on a simple case study and six other essay type questions.

Candidates will be required to answer the question on the case study and any four of the other questions.   

The paper will carry 100 marks and last for 2 hours 10 minutes.

DETAILED SYLLABUS

S/N	CONTENTS	NOTES
1.	THE OFFICE	Definition of the office. Functions of the office. Layout of the office. Principles of office organization. The span of control, Unity of control, Unity of function, etc. Office procedures. Sections of the office.
2.	DEPARTMENTS IN AN ORGANIZATION	List of departments in an organization. Functions of each department in an organization. Organizational chart.
3.	OFFICE EQUIPMENT	Meaning of office equipment. Types of office equipment.Manual: Typewriter, Perforator, Stapling machine, Duplicating machine, etc.                Electrical: Typewriter, Photocopier, Shredding machine, Computer, Scanning machine, Facsimile machine, etc. Uses of office equipment. Care of office equipment.
4.	THE RECEPTION	Meaning of the reception. Duties of the receptionist. Documents handled by a receptionist. Qualities of a receptionist Procedures for handling telephone calls.
5.	OFFICE DOCUMENTS	i     Meaning of office documents.       ii    Types of office documents.      (a)Administrative      (b) Sales      (c) Stores      (d) Purchasing     iii.  Uses of office documents.       iv  Preparation of office documents.
6.	OFFICECORRESPONDENCE	Meaning of office correspondence. Types of office correspondence. Memos, Business letters, Notice of meetings, Minutes of Meetings, Reports, and Circulars.
7.	MAIL	Types of mail: Personal mail, Official mail, Urgent mail, Confidential email classification of mail: Incoming mail, Outgoing mail. Procedures for handling incoming and outgoing mail.
8.	FILING	Definition of filing. Systems of filing. Vertical, Lateral, Electronic. Classifications of filing Alphabetical, Chronological, Numerical, Geographical, Alpha-numerical. Subject Purposes of filing. Steps involved in filing. Filing equipment.
9.	COMMUNICATION	Definition of communication Importance of communication. Types of communication Verbal Oral Written Non-verbal Visual Audio Audio-visual Methods/Media of communication Print (newspapers, magazines, directories, handbills, flyers, etc.) Electronic (radio, television, audio      and video conferencing, etc) Communication service providers: NIPOST, NITEL, Media houses Satellite stations The internet  Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM)
10.	MEETINGS	Definition of meeting. Purpose of meeting Types of meeting The statutory meeting, Emergency meeting, Board meeting, Management meeting, Annual General Meeting, Staff meeting, and Committee meeting. Procedure for conducting a meeting Opening prayer, Agenda, Chairman’s opening remarks, Reading of the last minutes, Correction ( if any), Adoption of the last minutes, Matters arising from the last minutes, Main business, Any other business (AOB), Chairman’s closing remarks, Adjournment/ closing, Closing prayer. Meeting   Terminologies: Agenda, Adoption, A O B. Adjournment, etc.Roles of the chairman/secretary writing the minutes.
11.	REPORT WRITING	Meaning of report. Types of the report – Formal Short report Long report Investigative report Routine/Periodic Parts of a report. Importance of report writing.
12.	INFORMATION	Definition of information. Types of information. Uses of information. Sources of information. Storage of information. Qualities of good information Timeliness, Accuracy, Speed of delivery, Usability, etc.

SUGGESTED READING  TEXT

• Modern Office Practice for Vocational Business Students By Amadin, M.S.