Students write exams late at night as delayed commencement mars WASSCE

There was widespread confusion across several exam centres in Nigeria as candidates sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) faced hours-long delays in writing the English Language paper.

At multiple locations on Wednesday, the exam, scheduled to begin at 9:00 am, did not commence until midday.

In some centres, the last paper did not start until nightfall, with students in Lagos reportedly still writing as late as 11:45 pm under torchlight.

The disruption, which triggered anger among parents and sparked an online backlash, occurred in several southwestern states, including Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, and Osun.

Some sources report that the paper was leaked online, prompting the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to replace it at the last minute.

Responding to the incident, WAEC issued a statement apologising to candidates, parents, and schools.

Moyosola Adesina, acting head of public affairs, said the disruption was a result of intensified security efforts to prevent question leakage.

“While we successfully maintained the integrity of the examination, it impacted the timeliness and seamless conduct of the English Language paper,” the statement reads in part.

The council said it is working with security agencies to prevent future lapses.