Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the recent incident in which Nigerian students were forced to write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) under poor and dark conditions, describing the situation as a “national disgrace.”
His reaction follows mounting criticisms over the conduct of the ongoing examination. The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has summoned the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), giving it a 24-hour ultimatum to appear before the committee on Friday to address the issues.
Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has criticised WAEC over delays in the administration of the English Language paper in the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
In a statement on Thursday, Atiku expressed deep concern over what he described as systemic failures in Nigeria’s education sector.
“This is not merely an unfortunate incident; it is a damning indictment of our systemic failure to uphold the most basic standards in public education,” he said.
“It is unacceptable, unjustifiable, and utterly indefensible that in 2025, our children are forced to write critical national exams in pitch darkness like second-class citizens.”
Atiku called for an immediate retake of the affected examination paper in all compromised centres, stating that anything less would be a “grave injustice” to the students involved.
He also urged authorities to establish and enforce minimum environmental and infrastructural standards for all national examinations to prevent future occurrences.
