FG Defends 2026 WASSCE Conduct As Late-Night Examination in Oyo Triggers Outrage
The Federal Government has commended the conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing the exercise as largely successful and highlighting the smooth rollout of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in selected centres across the country.
However, the commendation came amid growing concerns over reports that some candidates in Oyo State were forced to sit for an Agricultural Science practical examination late at night, with some reportedly relying on lanterns and mobile phone flashlights due to the absence of electricity.
Speaking during an inspection of examination centres in Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination, saying both CBT-enabled and conventional paper-based centres operated smoothly.
The minister visited Government Secondary School, Garki, and Apo Boys Secondary School, where she monitored candidates and assessed the examination process.
According to her, students demonstrated discipline, preparedness and confidence across the two examination formats.
She noted that candidates at CBT centres were able to navigate the digital platform effectively without major technical challenges, while paper-based centres maintained orderly and well-supervised examination environments.
Ahmad disclosed that extensive pilot testing had been conducted before the introduction of CBT and that contingency measures, including solar-powered systems and generators, were put in place to prevent disruptions.
"The Federal Government remains committed to a gradual and inclusive transition to digital examinations based on infrastructure readiness across schools," she said.
The Head of National Office of the West African Examinations Council, Patrick Dangut, revealed that a total of 1,959,636 candidates from approximately 29,000 schools registered for the 2026 WASSCE, underscoring the scale of the examination exercise nationwide.
The government also reaffirmed that plans to migrate to a fully digital examination system would be implemented gradually to ensure fairness, reliability and inclusiveness.
"We will ensure that no candidate or region is left behind as examination reforms continue," the minister assured.
Despite the positive assessment by federal authorities, concerns emerged from Oyo State after videos circulated online showing candidates allegedly writing their Agricultural Science practical examination in darkness.
The footage showed students using lanterns and the flashlights of mobile phones to complete practical tasks, raising questions about examination logistics and candidate welfare.
Parents and education stakeholders condemned the situation, arguing that students should not have been subjected to such conditions.
Many also expressed fears over the safety of candidates who reportedly remained at examination centres until late in the evening, citing prevailing security concerns across parts of the country.
Reacting to the development, cleric Pastor S.O. Solarin blamed the situation on the late arrival of examination materials at some centres.
Speaking in a video shared on Facebook, Solarin said reports indicated that candidates were forced to wait for several hours before receiving examination papers.
"It has come to our hearing that some of our students writing WAEC only received their examination papers now. Given the security situation in the country, WAEC officials need to explain why students are being kept at examination centres so late in the day," he said.
Describing the development as troubling, Solarin said the delays exposed candidates to unnecessary risks, particularly in view of ongoing security challenges, including incidents of kidnapping and attacks reported in some communities.
He called on WAEC to provide explanations to affected parents, schools and communities, while urging the examination body to improve logistics and planning to prevent a recurrence.