Thousands of candidates sitting for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were left stranded on Wednesday as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) failed to deliver English Language question papers on time to centres across Osun, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Taraba and other states.
The exam, slated for 2:00 p.m., did not commence in many centres until hours later, with some students forced to write under torchlight as daylight faded. In some locations, the papers hadn’t arrived even after 8:00 p.m., sparking outrage from parents, teachers, and state officials.
From Osogbo in Osun State to Udu LGA in Delta and Wukari LGA, Taraba State, students reportedly waited outside for hours, unsure whether the exam would hold. Social media was flooded with disturbing images and comments.
“This is 7:14 pm. The students are waiting outside for questions. This is very sad,” wrote @ClementBoyi. Another user, @omotoye_og, lamented, “Exam that was meant to start since noon began a few minutes to 7. Students are writing with torchlight.”
A candidate in Taraba State told EduCeleb.com that the officials sent them home to get torchlights ahead of the exams rescheduled for 5pm instead of the officially registered time on the timetable.
This marks the second major logistical failure within a week. On May 23, students of Unity Modern School, Asaba, Delta State, wrote exams late into the night after a four-hour delay in the arrival of question papers.
Reacting to the incident, Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, condemned the recurrent delays and demanded urgent reforms in WAEC’s logistics. “Such lapses will no longer be tolerated,” she warned, stressing that while WAEC operates independently, the state is committed to safeguarding student welfare.
Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Education described the situation as “completely unacceptable.” In a statement issued by spokesperson Folasade Boriowo, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, expressed deep concern and called for an investigation into the cause of the nationwide delays.
As of press time, WAEC has yet to issue an official response. Meanwhile, education stakeholders and civil society groups have demanded an immediate audit of WAEC’s logistics operations to prevent further embarrassment in future national examinations.
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