Public Fury as Students Take WAEC Exams in Total Darkness

Due to a lengthy delay in the distribution of exam papers, students in areas of Benue State were forced to write the objective section of their English exams on Wednesday night under harsh conditions, using phone torchlights and lanterns.
The afflicted applicants had already completed the essay component of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), but were kept waiting for many hours for the exam officer to arrive with the objective segment. The delays continued into the night, with some centers apparently finishing exams as late as 11:00 p.m.
A student from a secondary school in Ogbadibo Local Government Area, who sought anonymity, told Daily Post about the ordeal: “We waited for hours after submitting the essay. When the exam officer arrived, we had to write the objective portion using phone lights and lanterns. “It was incredibly stressful.”

Another candidate stated, “The exam officer did not provide any meaningful explanation for the delay.” He simply arrived, gave over the paperwork, and made no comment about why he was late.”

The late-night exams sparked concern among parents, who went to the schools after discovering that their children were still composing papers late into the night.

A clearly distraught parent in Owukpa expressed concern for the youngsters’ safety and well-being, saying, “This is a national disgrace.” How can youngsters be writing exams in the jungle, in the dark, at such a perilous time? Is this the way we intend to teach Nigeria’s future?

The security issues in the neighborhood exacerbated the problem. According to a local community leader in Owukpa, the test officer had to stay overnight due to safety concerns: “We had no choice but to let him sleep here.” It was already after 11 p.m., and nobody goes out at that time in this part of the country. The government needs to step in.”

According to reports, the abnormalities did not occur only in Ogbadibo. In numerous other regions of Benue, pupils did not receive the objective papers and are now required to write them the next morning, creating severe concerns about the test process’s integrity.

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A teacher from one of the impacted institutions expressed concern about the exam’s reliability, stating that such irregularities jeopardize the exam’s integrity. We expect WAEC to address this and take immediate corrective action.”
As at the time of reporting this article, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had not to issue an official statement on the occurrence.