The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies on Monday apologised to Nigerian parents, guardians, and students affected by the chaos of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Oforji Oboku (PDP, Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State), led the charge at an investigative hearing at the National Assembly, where he acknowledged the deep distress experienced by candidates and their families due to widespread irregularities and logistical failures during the exam cycle.
“On behalf of this committee, I offer an unreserved apology to Nigerian parents, guardians, and candidates who suffered the chaos of the last examination cycle,” Oboku said in his opening statement. “We are committed to ensuring this never happens again.”
The hearing, which summoned the management of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), came in the wake of mounting public outcry over reported lapses in the administration of the 2025 examinations, from delayed start times to security concerns and insufficient examination infrastructure.
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC Nigeria, appeared before the committee to explain what lawmakers described as a “systemic collapse” in the council’s operational processes. But his attempts to defend the agency citing “unforeseen challenges” and insecurity in parts of the country were met with sharp criticism and frequent interruptions.
Oboku, clearly dismayed, recounted disturbing reports from examination centres where students were forced to write papers late into the night under torchlight, an image he said underscores a broader leadership failure.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, students are sitting for exams at 11 pm under torchlight,” he said. “This is not just a failure of logistics. It is a failure of leadership.”
He was unequivocal about the need for reform, describing the investigative hearing as a necessary step toward restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s education system.
“This is not a witch-hunt,” he clarified. “But we must identify the underlying causes of these repeated failures, address them decisively, and hold those responsible to account.”
Beyond the immediate concerns with WAEC’s 2025 examination cycle, lawmakers raised alarm about the long-term implications of a broken examination system on Nigeria’s global standing and the future of its youth. Several members highlighted that the nation’s credibility across West Africa was being eroded due to frequent exam paper leakages and unreliable logistics.
The committee called for the convening of a national education summit to conduct a comprehensive audit of secondary school infrastructure nationwide and explore sustainable reforms.
Oboku also dismissed WAEC’s claim of readiness for computer-based testing (CBT), drawing a vivid analogy that drew murmurs from attendees.
“You talk of CBT readiness, yet many local governments lack a single CBT centre,” he said. “That’s like saying you own a car and a driver, but there’s no road. It’s fantasy, not capacity.”
Committee Directives
At the end of the tense session, the committee issued a series of binding resolutions:
WAEC must submit a full audit of its digital infrastructure, particularly in underserved regions.
The council must provide a clear roadmap detailing its preparedness for computer-based examinations.
WAEC is also mandated to furnish the National Assembly with its complete operational guidelines and all internal reports related to exam paper leakages.
Oboku, in his closing remarks, emphasised that the country could no longer afford to treat education with administrative indifference.
“This is a defining moment. We must insist on competence, honesty, and reform,” he said. “Education is too critical to be managed by trial and error. The future of our children, and our nation, is at stake.”
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