The ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has been disrupted by significant delays, forcing candidates in some centres to write examination papers late into the night.
The development has sparked concern among parents, school administrators and education stakeholders, coming barely a year after similar incidents saw candidates sitting for examinations as late as midnight.
Checks across several centres in Lagos, particularly on Lagos Island and in the Lekki axis, revealed that the delays became more pronounced this week.
On Monday, Physics Papers 2 and 1, scheduled to hold between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., reportedly did not commence on time, with some candidates writing the second paper at about 8 p.m.
Similarly, on Wednesday, candidates sitting for General Mathematics experienced major disruptions. The essay paper, slated for 9:30 a.m. to noon, and the objective paper, scheduled for 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., were reportedly concluded around 10 p.m.
As of Thursday evening, candidates scheduled to sit for Agricultural Science Practical were still waiting for examination materials several hours after the paper was expected to begin.
Candidates at some centres were reportedly informed that examination materials had yet to arrive.
A school principal, who spoke anonymously, expressed disappointment over the recurring challenges.
“Why are we experiencing this again after what happened last year? Apart from the security concerns in the country, these delays have psychological effects on candidates. Imagine preparing for an examination scheduled for noon and eventually writing it at 7 p.m. or later,” the principal said.
He added that many stakeholders had expected WAEC to have addressed the challenges following last year’s incidents.
A parent in Lekki also criticised the situation, saying the delays were affecting students’ welfare and raising concerns about examination management.
“My child returned home around 10 p.m. on Wednesday. We expected lessons would have been learned from last year’s experience, but the same issues are happening again,” he said.
The issue has also generated reactions on social media, where several parents and concerned citizens complained about delayed commencement of examinations, shortages of question papers and the impact on students.
Some users alleged that candidates in certain centres had to wait hours before examination supervisors arrived, while others claimed schools were demanding payments for mathematics sets used during the examination.
One parent questioned how candidates could be expected to remain focused after spending an entire day waiting to write examinations, while others raised concerns about students’ safety and well-being as they returned home late at night.
Responding to the concerns, a WAEC official who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter confirmed that the council was aware of the challenges and was working to address them.
“Yes, we are aware of some hitches due to unforeseen circumstances. However, we are doing everything possible to address the issues, and hopefully, things will return to normal soon,” the official said.
The examination body has yet to issue an official public statement on the delays. However, stakeholders are urging WAEC to provide clarity on the causes of the disruptions and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.
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