Nigerian citizens have expressed disappointment as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination, which was supposed to be written at noon on Wednesday, was delayed, leaving students to write into the late night.
This development has sparked widespread reactions from Nigerians, as they call on the Ministry of Education to look into the situation, stating that the educational system in the country needs reform.
A source in Rivers State shared a notification she received from her ward’s school platform with our reporter, indicating that as of 6:40 p.m., the English Paper 3 was still ongoing, revealing that students would be done at about 8:40 p.m.
“Special notice to Parents/Guardians of our SS3 students taking the SSCE, please be informed that ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 3 is ongoing,” the message noted.
For the safety of the students, the notification stated that parents should endeavor to be available to walk their wards or children home due to security reasons.
Read Also: Ibas Urges Forgiveness and Unity for 58th Anniversary Celebration
A Facebook user, Ossai Success, noted his disappointment over the delay while citing safety concerns.
His post read, “Something is wrong with WAEC; I’m disappointed in them. It’s unacceptable for students to be taking exams at late hours. Despite having electricity in our schools, WAEC should prioritize student safety.
“This issue is widespread across Nigeria, and it’s simply not fair. Students deserve better exam conditions. I’m extremely disappointed in WAEC’s handling of this situation,” he added.
Joseph Adedoyin, another Facebook user, wrote, “It’s the same in every state. WAEC did the unthinkable. In an attempt to curb examination malpractice, they subject students to terrible condition. How do you expect students to perform optimally in this terrible examination atmosphere? ‘Yesterday’ it was JAMB, ‘today’ it’s WAEC, ‘tomorrow’ …?”
Meanwhile, a similar incident was witnessed in Taraba, Lagos, and Ogun States. A viral video displayed online showed students seated and writing with torch lights emanating from their phones.
However, Moyosola Adesina, Acting Head of the Public Affairs Department of WAEC, apologized for the delay, highlighting that the reason for the delay was to curb examination malpractice.
“While maintaining the integrity and security of our examination, we faced considerable challenges primarily due to our major aim of preventing leakage of any paper,” Adesina noted while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Following the recent development, Nigerians anticipate for quality education system.
