The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly condemned the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the delay in conducting the English Language examination in the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE).
Recall that students in parts of Benue State were forced to take their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the dark, relying on phone torches and lanterns to complete the objective section of their English paper on Wednesday night.
According to NANS, the delay, which resulted in the exam being rescheduled from 4 pm to 7 pm, put the lives of innocent students at risk, particularly those in rural areas.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Comrade Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, NANS National Public Relations Officer, the association expressed shock and disappointment over the development, which it attributed to alleged examination question leakage.
NANS described the situation as “a gross disregard for the safety and well-being of Nigerian students” and called for WAEC to be held accountable for the incident.
The association demanded that WAEC identify and hold responsible those involved in the leakage, implement stricter security protocols to prevent future occurrences, and issue a public apology to affected students and their families.
NANS also urged WAEC to take concrete steps to ensure the safety of students travelling home late from examination centres, particularly in rural areas.
It emphasised that the academic future of students must not be jeopardised by administrative inefficiencies or institutional negligence and warned that it would not hesitate to escalate the matter if tangible actions are not taken promptly.
“The decision to hold examinations at such late hours not only endangers students, many of whom must navigate unsafe routes to and from examination centres, but also disrupts their psychological preparedness and undermines the integrity of the process. WAEC, as a long-standing examination body, is expected to be a beacon of professionalism, preparedness, and efficiency. The repeated incidents of examination paper leakage are a clear indication of systemic failures in WAEC’s security measures and operations.
“NANS strongly believes that these lapses tarnish the credibility of our educational system and unfairly burden Nigerian students, who are already grappling with numerous challenges.
“We demand accountability, urging WAEC to identify and hold responsible all individuals or groups involved in the leakage of examination questions. WAEC must implement stricter security protocols to prevent future occurrences, leveraging technology and enhancing staff training to safeguard the integrity of its examinations. Furthermore, WAEC must issue a public apology to all affected students and their families for the undue stress and inconvenience caused by this delay. Concrete steps must also be taken to ensure the safety of students travelling home late from examination centres, particularly those in rural areas.
“The academic future of our students must not be jeopardised by administrative inefficiencies or institutional negligence. WAEC must take immediate and decisive steps to rebuild trust and ensure that such incidents do not recur. NANS remains committed to advocating for the rights and welfare of Nigerian students and will not hesitate to escalate this matter if tangible actions are not taken promptly,” the statement said.