At the end of this article, you will be to read/ download the detailed WAEC Biology syllabus for the 2023/2024 WAEC examination.
This is an examination syllabus for Biology drawn up from the curricula of the member countries of the West African Examinations Council which are Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia.
PS: Do you need assistance on how to register and pass your WAEC and JAMB successfully? Read the following articles on how to do so.
The main reason for this syllabus is to help students:
- understanding of the structure and functions of living organisms as well as an appreciation of nature.
- acquisition of adequate laboratory and field skills to carry out and evaluate experiments and projects in Biology
- acquisition of necessary scientific skills for example observing, classifying, and interpreting biological data;
- acquisition of the basic relevant knowledge in Biology needed for future advanced studies in biological sciences;
- acquisition of scientific attitudes for problem-solving;
- ability to apply biological principles in everyday life in matters that affect personal, social, environmental, community health, and economic problems;
- awareness of the existence of interrelationships between biology and other scientific disciplines.
There are 3 different sections. Each section is indicated by the country(s) where the syllabus is available for use.
Below are the topics in the syllabus
A. Concept of Living
1. Classification of Living and non-living things
2. Organization of life.
3. Cell structure and function
4. Cell and its environment.
5. Properties and functions of a living cell.
6. The Cell and its Environment: Physical and Biophysical Processes.
7. Tissues and supporting systems.
8. Transport System.
9. Respiratory System.
10. Regulation of Internal Environment (Homeostasis)
11. Hormonal Coordination
12. Nervous Coordination.
13. Sense Organs: Structure and function
14. Reproductive system of mammals.
15. Forms in which living cells exist.
B. Plant and Animal Nutrition
16. Plant Nutrition.
17. Animal Nutrition.
C. Basic Ecological Concepts.
18. Ecosystem.
19. Ecological factors.
20. Simple Measurement of Ecological Factors
21. Food webs and trophic levels.
22. Ecological Management.
23. Ecology of population.
24. Microorganisms: Man and health.
D. Conservation of Natural Resources
25. Resources to be conserved: soil, water, wildlife, forest, and minerals.
26. Ways of ensuring conservation.
E. Variation in Population
27. Morphological variations in the physical appearance of individuals.
28. Physiological Variations.
F. Biology of Heredity (Genetics)
29. Genetic terminologies.
30. Transmission and expression of characteristics in organisms.
31. Chromosomes: The basis of heredity.
32. Probability in genetics (Hybrid formation).
33. Linkage, sex determination, and sex-linked characters.
34. Application of the principles of heredity.
G. Adaptation for Survival and Evolution
35. Behavioural Adaptations in Social Animals.
36. Evolution.
Recommended: WAEC syllabus for Mathematics
SECTION: B (This section is only for candidates in Ghana).
A. Introducing Biology
1. Biology as a science of life.
2. Procedure for biological work.
3. Importance of Biology.
4. Body symmetry, sectioning, and orientation.
5. The microscope.
6. Biological drawings.
B. Cell Biology
7. Movement of substances into and out of cells: Endocytosis and Exocytosis.
8. Nucleic acids.
9. DNA structure and replication, RNA transcription.
10. Protein synthesis.
11. Cell cycle.
C. Life Processes in Living Things
12. Amoeba, Paramecium, and Euglena.
13. Spirogyra and Rhizopus.
14. Mosses and ferns.
D. Diversity of Living Things
15. Characteristics of some of the orders of Class Insecta.
16. Identification of organisms using biological keys.
E. Interactions in Nature Soil
F. Mammalian Anatomy and Physiology
17. Dissection of a small mammal.
18. Transport: Structure of the mammalian heart.
19. Cellular respiration.
20. Movement.
21. Reproduction.
G. Plant Structure and Physiology
22. Morphology of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants
23. Transport: Guttation
24. Reproduction Floral formula.
H. Humans and their Environment
25. Integrated water resource management.
26. Health and hygiene.
I. Evolution
27. Recombinant DNA Technology
J. Biology and Industry
28. Biology and water industry.
29. Biology and fishing industry.
30. Biology and food industry: Food additives
31. Biology and Agriculture
32. Biotechnology.
33. Biological fuel generation.
Recommended: WAEC syllabus for English
SECTION C (For candidates in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia
A. Concept of Living
1. Cell theory
2. Irritability as a basic characteristic of protoplasm
3. Excretory Systems.
4. Sense organs.
5. Reproduction
B. Plant and Animal Nutrition
6. Nitrogen cycle
7. Modes of nutrition:
autotrophic, chemosynthetic, carnivorous plants
8. Alimentary System
9. Feeding habits
C. Basic Ecological Concepts
10 . Ecological Components.
11. Population Studies by Sampling
12. Energy transformation in nature:
13. Nutrient Cycling in Nature
14. Ecological Management: Tolerance, Minimum and maximum range
15. Habitats
..
16. Relevance of Biology to Agriculture:
17. Microorganisms: Man and His Health.
D. Application of Variations Crime detection
18. Adaptation for survival
19. Structural Adaptation for;
20. Adaptive Colouration
(PDF) WAEC Biology syllabus Download