Late Exams: Reps Gives WAEC 24 Hours To Submit Guidelines, Report

The House of Representatives has asked the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to within 24 hours, submit the guidelines and a detailed report on the conduct of 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

The House Committee on Basic Education Examination Bodies made the demand at the investigative hearing on the immediate and underlying causes of the midnight conduct of the examination in parts of the country.

The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Hon. Mary Ibikake (PDP, Bayelsa) when the committee questioned the Head of WAEC in Nigeria, Dr Amos Dangut, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja on Monday.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Oboku Oforji (PDP, Bayelsa) said the panel and all Nigerians, particularly parents of affected candidates, deserved explanations on what happened on the day English paper was written.

Oforji recalled that the committee had demanded explanation for the poor handling of the WAEC examinations which has caused public outcries and condemnation across the country.

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“This committee wants to know, parents and Nigerians want to know, we owe them a duty of care, and to whom much is given, much is expected. Monies were appropriated by parliament for the conduct of these examinations.

“We are not trying to kill a fly with a sledge hammer as a committee, but like I said in the last meeting, we need to know the immediate and remote causes of the woeful conduct of the examinations, and in doing this, we may forestall a future occurrence,” he said.

In his response, Dangut apologised to all Nigerians, parents and candidates as well as all stakeholders for the glitch witnessed during the paper.

He attributed the irregularity to logistics resulting from the need to set and print new questions to replace earlier questions that were earlier leaked to avoid undue advantage for some candidates.

Dangut said the printing press of WAEC was operating at 50 per cent capacity, adding that the council had to engage external vendors to support the printing which led to the leakage of the examination.

He explained that the hitch occurred in the distribution of the papers which had to be done overnight as some vehicles broke down in very difficult terrain.

The WAEC boss said a proper investigation had commenced, assuring that legal action will be taken against anyone found wanting.

Dangut said schools, parents and officials of WAEC were able to provide alternative sources of light which included rechargeable lights, torchlight, candlelight, handset lights among others to provide lighting for the affected candidates.

He said investments had been made to ensure that internal printing press of the Council commences operation at maximum capacity to prevent future occurrence.

In his response, the committee’s chairman charged WAEC in Nigeria to put measures in place to avoid such future embarrassment to as the panel adjourned indefinitely.