Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the late-night conduct of the English Language paper in the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, describing the incident as a national embarrassment and a grave injustice to Nigerian students.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his official Facebook page on Thursday, Atiku decried the delay, calling it “unacceptable, unjustifiable, and utterly indefensible.” The incident, he noted, starkly highlighted the systemic failures in Nigeria’s education system.
“It is deeply ironic that this national shame occurred just a day after the world celebrated International Children’s Day,” Atiku said. “That in 2025, our children are forced to write critical national exams in darkness like second-class citizens is beyond shameful. It is a damning indictment of our inability to uphold basic standards in public education.”
He called on WAEC to conduct a resit of the affected paper in all compromised centres, insisting that anything less would amount to “grave injustice” for the students who were subjected to a chaotic and demoralizing examination experience.
“Preparedness for examinations is a shared responsibility. In this case, it is clear that WAEC failed spectacularly. Students should not be made to bear the burden of institutional negligence,” he stated.
The former vice president also urged federal and state authorities to make urgent and sustained investments in education and infrastructure. He emphasized the need to enforce minimum environmental and logistical standards for all national examinations going forward.
“We must never allow such a disgraceful episode to repeat itself. Our children deserve better. Our nation deserves better,” he concluded.
WAEC Apologizes, Blames Delay on Security and Logistical Challenges
In response to the backlash, WAEC issued an apology on Thursday, acknowledging the disruption and expressing regret over the hardship caused to students, parents, and schools.
In a statement signed by Moyosola Adesina, Acting Head of Public Affairs, the examination body explained that the delay was a result of security concerns, logistical hurdles, and socio-cultural factors in certain areas.
She noted that the decision to delay the exam was driven by a heightened effort to prevent question paper leaks and uphold the integrity of the examination process.
“While we successfully prevented any leakage, the added security measures unfortunately affected the timeliness of the exam,” the statement read.
Adesina assured the public that WAEC is working closely with security agencies to improve operational efficiency and ensure the smooth conduct of future examinations.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration caused. We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring it does not happen again,” she added.
WAEC reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining high academic standards and thanked stakeholders for their patience and continued support.
Leave a Reply