In a statement released on Thursday in response to widespread reports regarding the conditions under which students were compelled to undertake the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar expressed profound concern, characterizing the situation as a "damning indictment of our systemic failure to uphold the most basic standards in public education."
Mr. Abubakar condemned the circumstances faced by students across Nigeria during this examination, deeming the situation a "national disgrace" and advocating for a retake of the affected examination paper. In his statement, he remarked, “The recent indications that students participated in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination under appallingly dark and unsuitable conditions across the country represent nothing short of a national disgrace. The occurrence of this incident a day following the commemoration of International Children’s Day further exacerbates the shame.”
He continued, “This is not merely an unfortunate event; it is a damning indictment of our systemic failure to uphold the most basic standards in public education. It is both unacceptable and indefensible that, in 2025, our children are required to complete essential national examinations in pitch darkness, akin to second-class citizens.”
Mr. Abubakar demanded a resit of the affected examination paper at all impacted centers, cautioning that any alternative would constitute a “grave injustice to the students whose futures are at stake.” He asserted, "This incident must catalyze a reevaluation of our national priorities. It must spur immediate and sustained investment in critical social infrastructure, with education as the foremost priority—not merely in rhetoric, but through tangible actions."
He further noted that while students have a responsibility to prepare adequately for examinations, the authorities have failed in their duty to provide conducive examination conditions. Therefore, it would be “utterly unjust to allow students to bear the consequences of such gross institutional negligence.”
In concluding his statement, Mr. Abubakar urged relevant authorities to establish and enforce minimum environmental and infrastructural standards for all high-stakes national examinations to prevent recurrence of such incidents. “We must ensure that such a shameful scenario is never permitted to happen again—under no circumstances,” he asserted.
Reports from PUNCH Online indicated that viral videos showed candidates participating in the 2025 WASSCE English Language examination late at night without electricity, relying on lanterns and mobile phone flashlights. A similar incident was reported at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Taraba State, where candidates narrowly escaped injury after their classrooms collapsed during a storm.
The West African Examinations Council attributed the delay in administering the 2025 English Language paper to heightened efforts to mitigate examination malpractice, specifically the leakage of question papers. However, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) criticized WAEC for this delay, describing the shift of the examination from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. as “insensitive” and exhibiting a “gross disregard for the safety and well-being” of the candidates, particularly those in rural areas.
NANS also condemned WAEC’s internal security lapses, arguing that students should not be held accountable for the organization’s inability to prevent examination malpractice.
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