The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has issued an apology for the significant delay in conducting the 2025 English Language examination on Wednesday, attributing the disruption to intensified measures aimed at curbing exam malpractice, particularly the leakage of question papers.
In a statement released on Thursday, WAEC acknowledged that candidates experienced substantial delays during English Language Paper 2, originally scheduled for May 28. In many centres across the country, the paper was held several hours late, with some students reportedly writing the exam as late as 10 p.m.
Photos and videos circulating on social media showed students taking the exam in dark classrooms, using torchlights and lanterns due to power outages — scenes that sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over exam logistics and student welfare.
Moyosola Adesina, WAEC’s Acting Head of Public Affairs, explained that the delay was an unintended consequence of the council’s determination to preserve the integrity of the examination.
“Our top priority was to prevent any leakage of the examination papers,” Adesina said. “While we achieved this objective, it unfortunately affected the timely and smooth conduct of the paper.”
WAEC also cited other contributing factors, including logistical challenges, security issues, and sociocultural dynamics that disrupted operations in certain locations.
To prevent such occurrences in the future, the council stated that it is working closely with security agencies to streamline its processes and enhance operational efficiency.
“Despite our best efforts, we faced a range of difficulties that negatively impacted our operations. We are now collaborating with security agencies to ensure better planning going forward,” the statement read.
WAEC extended its apologies to students, parents, and schools for the inconvenience caused, and expressed appreciation for their patience during what it described as a “challenging period.”
“We fully recognise the importance of conducting examinations on time and sincerely regret the impact this disruption had on candidates, schools, and families,” Adesina added.
Earlier, PUNCH Online had reported distressing scenes from several examination centres nationwide, including footage of students taking exams in poorly lit conditions. One widely shared incident occurred in Delta State, where candidates reportedly began their paper in the late evening due to the delayed delivery of exam materials.
The 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates began on April 24 and is scheduled to conclude on June 20.
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