Waec
Educators have attributed the mass failures in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to poor logistics and inadequate supervision. According to stakeholders, logistical issues such as power outages and poor lighting conditions during the English Language exam significantly impacted students’ performance. The exam was conducted late at night, with some students forced to write by lanterns and phone lights due to a last-minute reprinting of question papers following a leak.
The Head of WAEC Nigeria, Dr. Amos Dangut, apologized for the mishaps, citing operational failures triggered by the last-minute reprint. He explained that the overnight distribution of replacement exam papers led to breakdowns in remote areas, delaying exams by several hours. WAEC worked with schools and parents to provide alternative lighting, but the situation still caused significant stress and disadvantage to the students.
Stakeholders, including Ike Onyekere, founder of Exam Ethics Marshall International, and Jekayinfa Olatunji, a fellow with the National Mathematical Centre, have called for reforms in exam preparation strategies and closer monitoring of learning standards. They attributed the poor performance to systemic issues, including examination malpractice, deep-rooted corruption, and lack of investment in teacher training and infrastructure.
Some educators have also criticized students’ growing reliance on “magic centers” and malpractice rings, arguing that many students no longer prepare sincerely for examinations. The Nigerian government had previously mandated examination bodies to clamp down on such centers.
WAEC has initiated a review process to correct technical glitches that led to the mass failure. The council temporarily shut down the result checker portal and urged candidates to re-check their results after 24 hours. The anomalies were attributed to a new security feature implemented to combat examination malpractice.
The poor WASSCE results have sparked widespread concern, with parents, teachers, and student bodies attributing the outcomes to systemic failures. Many are calling for government-led investigations, cancellation and re-administration of compromised papers, and a long-term strategic overhaul of Nigeria’s public education system.
