Viral Outrage as Nigerian Students Write English Exam Late in the Evening

A wave of public outrage has erupted across Nigerian media and social platforms after footage emerged showing students in a secondary school sitting for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) English paper late in the evening some reportedly as late as 8:00 p.m.

The video, which quickly went viral on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, depicts exhausted students hunched over their desks in poorly lit classrooms, straining to complete what is considered one of the most important exams in the national curriculum.

Parents, educators, and civil society groups have condemned the situation, calling it a gross violation of students’ rights and a failure of examination logistics.

“This is an unacceptable breach of academic standards and child welfare,” said Mrs. Ifeoma Chukwueke, a Lagos-based education rights advocate. “No student should be made to sit for a mentally demanding exam under such conditions.”

According to eyewitness accounts, the delay was reportedly due to logistical and coordination failures on the part of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and local education authorities. In some schools, exam papers were said to have arrived hours late due to poor transportation arrangements.

WAEC has yet to release an official statement as of the time of this report, but internal sources suggest the council is investigating the incident and may issue sanctions or schedule a re-examination in affected centers.

“This raises serious questions about the integrity of the process,” said Adebayo Oladimeji, a secondary school principal in Ogun State. “We are putting undue psychological stress on children and compromising the quality of the assessment.”

The incident has reignited debates about infrastructure, examination planning, and the general state of Nigeria’s public education system. With WASSCE being a gateway for tertiary education and employment, any compromise to its administration could have lasting implications for students’ futures.

As the public demands accountability, many are urging the Ministry of Education and WAEC to implement stricter oversight mechanisms to prevent such a recurrence. Meanwhile, student unions and parent associations are reportedly preparing formal petitions for government intervention.

source: punchng.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *