The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, expressed his displeasure over an incident involving candidates sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at night using torchlights.
But then, neither the minister nor the Nigerian office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced any form of remediation or reparations for the affected students. The Delta State Ministry of Education under which oversight the examination took place has been quiet on the fate of the poor students.
Recall that following a glitch on its system that affected students that sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Lagos and the five states of South-East geopolitical zone, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) rescheduled and conducted fresh exams which tipped the scale of mass failure to mass pass nationally.
On the Delta students, who sat for exams using torches, a statement issued by the Education Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, said the minister found the situation in the viral video as “completely unacceptable”, adding that all necessary measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring a conducive environment for learning and assessment.
Alausa criticised the poor conditions under which the examination was conducted at Unity Secondary School in Asaba, Delta, under the supervision of the State Ministry of Education.
“The ministry’s attention has been drawn to the conduct of an examination in an unsuitable environment, as seen in footage circulating on social media.
“This reveals an inappropriate setting for such a critical academic exercise, and it occurred under the oversight of the Delta State Ministry of Education”.
The minister stated that the ministry is working in collaboration with the Delta government and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to investigate the matter and ensure appropriate corrective measures are taken.
“The outcome of the investigation will be made public as necessary,” he added.
The minister reiterated his commitment to improving educational infrastructure and ensuring that students across the country have access to safe and enabling environments for teaching, learning, and assessment.
