Stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector have continued to express outrage over the outcome of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing it as a blow to the country’s education system.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had on August 4 released the results of the exam, with only 754,545 out of 1,969,313 candidates which represents 38.32% secured at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics. This marks a sharp decline from the 72.12% recorded in 2024, raising concerns about credibility and fairness.
The development has triggered calls for investigations, with parents, teachers, and student bodies accusing WAEC of mishandling the process. Many insist that a standardized exam like WASSCE cannot be reduced to what they described as “trial and error.”
Following the backlash, WAEC admitted to experiencing technical glitches which affected results in subjects such as Mathematics, English, Biology, and Economics. The council temporarily withdrew access to the results before issuing corrections, while apologizing to candidates.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) blamed systemic failure for the fiasco, noting that some candidates wrote English Language papers under chaotic conditions after reports of a leak forced rescheduling at odd hours. Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) criticized WAEC for subjecting candidates to stress, saying the poor arrangements were bound to affect performance.
Some educationists went further, accusing WAEC of “bastardising” Nigeria’s education process. A teacher, Divine Mike, described the outcome as a national embarrassment and urged the Federal Government to probe the matter and overhaul WAEC’s management. Another teacher, Israel Chukwudi, expressed doubts over WAEC’s planned transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in 2026, citing the council’s current lapses and Nigeria’s weak digital infrastructure.
Meanwhile, several students have shifted their hopes to the National Examination Council (NECO) exams. While some blamed WAEC, others admitted that laziness and poor study habits also contributed to the mass failure.
Reacting, Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, reiterated government’s commitment to credibility, accountability, and excellence in the education system. Through his spokesperson, Boriowo Folasade, he highlighted a steady decline in examination malpractice from 16.29% in 2023 to 9.70% in 2025, attributing it to stricter measures such as question paper serialization. He further assured that government would continue investing in teacher training and support to prepare students for success.
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