The Bank of Reps Calls Out WAEC Over Exam Chaos in 2025
"Lawmaker Advocates for Emotional Release by WAEC Head, Suggesting Resignation Afterward"
Take a seat, folks! The House of Representatives' Education Committee ain't happy with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) after the mess that went down during the 2025 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
On Monday, during a heated hearing at the National Assembly, lawmakers lit into WAEC, calling out systemic failures and lapses that have left many questionin' the legitimacy of Nigeria's exam system. The criticism comes in light of multiple reports of problems during the ongoing exams—irregularities, logistical issues, security concerns, and shoddy management.
With stakeholders like parents, students, and education gurus all joining the chorus, there's a growing clamor for reform to restore the exam process's integrity.
Chairman of the Education Committee, Oforji Oboku (PDP, Yenagoa/Opokuma, Bayelsa State) set the tone, delivering a swift, sharp rebuke of WAEC's performance. Despite the National Assembly being on break, Oboku lauded his colleagues for prioritizing the oversight meeting, stating,
"This gathering reflects our collective resolve to restore dignity and credibility to our examination system," Oboku said. "On behalf of this committee, I offer an unreserved apology to Nigerian parents, guardians, and candidates who suffered the chaos of the last examination cycle. We are committed to ensuring this never happens again,” he added.
Oboku recalled a previous meeting with WAEC on May 30, where shocking revelations were shared regarding student treatment during the exams. According to reports, students at various centers were made to sit through exams under grueling conditions, including late-night sessions under the flicker of torchlight.
"It is unacceptable that in 2025, students are sitting for exams at 11 pm under torchlight," Oboku said, branding the situation as "appalling." While making it clear that the investigation was not a witch-hunt, Oboku emphasized the need to pinpoint the root causes of WAEC's inefficiencies and hold the responsible parties accountable.
As the meeting progressed, lawmakers voiced their anger over what they described as WAEC's habitual negligence and lack of preparation. At one point, an unnamed lawmaker shouted, "Admit your failure to the Nigerian people. If you need to cry, go ahead. But when you're done, tender your resignation.”
Lawmakers also grilled the Head of WAEC, Dr. Amos Dangut, over his claims about rolling out computer-based testing (CBT) centers nationwide by 2026.
"You talk of CBT readiness, yet many local governments lack a single CBT center. That's like saying you own a car and a driver, but there's no road. It's fantasy, not capacity," Oboku retorted.
The committee also proposed a national education summit to assess the state of secondary school infrastructure across the country. They raised concerns about the damage to Nigeria's reputation in West Africa due to WAEC's operational failures.
Defending WAEC, Dangut cited unforeseen logistical challenges and insecurity in parts of the country as contributing factors to the issues. However, his explanations were repeatedly disrupted by lawmakers, who dismissed the excuses as insufficient and unacceptable.
The committee passed a resolution compelling WAEC to submit a comprehensive audit of its digital infrastructure, particularly in underserved areas. The council was also instructed to provide a detailed roadmap for its CBT readiness and submit all examination paper leak reports to the National Assembly along with its operational guidelines.
In his closing remarks, Oforji Oboku emphasized the importance of reforming Nigeria's education system. Reforming the system, he said, is crucial, as the future of our children, and our nation, is at stake.
Bonus Facts
- Recent findings and recommendations:
- Summoning of WAEC: The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has summoned the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to address concerns over the 2025 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) due to irregularities and delays. Specifically, the committee issued a 24-hour ultimatum for WAEC to appear before them on May 30, 2025, following WAEC's failure to honor an earlier invitation on May 27, 2025[1][3][5].
- Irregularities Reported: The examination process has been marred by delays, with the English Language paper on May 28, 2025, being conducted late in several centers. Many students were forced to sit for exams late into the night, leading to public complaints and concern[1][2][5].
- WAEC's Explanation: WAEC attributed the delays to heightened efforts to curb examination malpractice, which led to logistical setbacks. However, this explanation has not alleviated the public's concerns over the disorganization of the exams[2][5].
- Committee's Expectations: The committee aims to understand the reasons behind these irregularities and to ensure such issues do not recur. They have emphasized that their intention is not to target WAEC but to resolve public anxiety and rectify the systemic failures observed during these exams[5].
- Threat of Legislative Action: The committee has warned that if WAEC fails to appear as directed, they will invoke constitutional powers to compel compliance, indicating a potential for legislative sanctions[3][4][5].
- Oforji Oboku, the chairman of the Education Committee in the House of Representatives, criticized the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for systemic failures during the 2025 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE), particularly apparent in irregularities, logistical issues, security concerns, and shoddy management.
- In his criticism, Oboku called for reform to restore the exam process's integrity and apologized to Nigerian parents, guardians, and candidates who suffered through the 2025 SSCE chaos.
- The Lawmakers voiced their anger over WAEC's habitual negligence and lack of preparation and suggested holding responsible parties accountable.
- The committee passed a resolution compelling WAEC to submit a comprehensive audit of its digital infrastructure, requiring the council to provide a detailed roadmap for its Computer-Based Testing (CBT) readiness, and demanding all examination paper leak reports and operational guidelines be submitted to the National Assembly.
- In addition to the investigation into WAEC's inefficiencies, the committee proposed a national education summit to assess the state of secondary school infrastructure across Nigeria, which could impact Nigeria's reputation in West Africa due to the operational failures of WAEC.
