The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has attributed the late-night administration of its English Language paper in some states to exam leakages, internal compromises, and significant logistical setbacks.
Appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies on Monday, the Head of WAEC’s National Office, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, revealed that the body identified leakages and breaches three days before the commencement of the May/June examination.
According to Dr Dangut, WAEC made efforts to contain the situation and replace compromised materials, but was confronted with logistical hurdles, including vehicle breakdowns and access restrictions in certain communities—particularly in states such as Taraba.
“Many things went wrong,” Dr Dangut admitted, citing internal compromise and last-minute distribution issues as the major causes of the disruption. “Some vehicles conveying examination materials broke down, and others were denied passage by local communities,” he said.
The examination body faced criticism for failing to appear before the committee last Friday, a session convened to address public outcry over the late-night exams. Dr Dangut apologised for his absence, stating that urgent matters required his attention at the time.
Lawmakers expressed concern over WAEC’s failure to act promptly upon discovering the leak. Hon. Dagomie Abiante (PDP, Rivers) questioned the examination body’s commitment to safeguarding students’ welfare, describing the ordeal as “inhumane”.
“It is unacceptable that students were made to write an important paper late into the night. We must hold institutions accountable when they fall short,” Abiante said.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Oboku Oforji (PDP, Bayelsa), reiterated the need for full transparency, stating: “Nigerians deserve an explanation. This committee will not stand by while students suffer due to institutional failings. Parliament approved funds for this exercise, and we must ensure they are judiciously utilised.”
The House committee had demanded a full briefing during its earlier sitting on 30 May, following widespread condemnation of WAEC’s handling of the 2025 May/June examination exercise.
Dr Dangut assured the committee of the council’s commitment to addressing the issues and preventing future occurrences.
WAEC has yet to issue a formal public apology or provide specific details on how many centres or states were affected by the late-night examinations.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.