Outrage as Mass WAEC Failure Sparks Calls for English Exam Cancellation and Reform

The mass failure recorded in this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has triggered widespread backlash from parents, teachers, and concerned groups, with growing calls for the cancellation and review of some examination papers, particularly the English Language paper.

Many commentators, especially members of the Concerned Parents and Educators Network (CPE), have attributed the dismal performance to administrative failures by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). A major source of concern is the timing and conditions under which the English Language paper was conducted in some centres, with reports indicating that candidates were forced to write the exam at night, using phone torchlights and battling rain and mosquitoes.

One of the platform’s contributors, Adegoke Bimpe Atoke, wrote, “Almighty WAEC has done it again. The pregnancy of a few months ago has finally been birthed. Mass failure in Mathematics and English. 450-word essays written at 10:30 p.m. under the rain with phone torchlight, swatting mosquitoes. How did we get here? Our systems need drastic, strategic, urgent reforms.”

Another member, Abiodun Adesanya Adeleke, questioned the credibility of the exam process, saying, “The English Language paper should be retaken. Students writing exams past 9:00 p.m. in mosquito-infested classrooms under torchlight — how is that a standardized exam?”

Reacting from a different angle, a Lagos-based teacher, Mr. Adebayo Ifeoluwa, insisted that in his school, exams were conducted within the scheduled time frame, and questioned where the responsibility for the night-time exams lies. “Who’s to blame? No paper is scheduled for nighttime. Something went wrong somewhere,” he said.

Rex Oscar, another commentator, argued that the issue wasn’t merely about students being unprepared. “Yes, some didn’t read, but you can’t tell me over 70% of SS3 students didn’t. Even those who passed JAMB failed WAEC English. A government probe is needed,” he said.

While some like Adetoun Aremu suggested a complete rewrite of the English and Mathematics papers, others, including Ifeoma Eucharia, expressed dismay that students failed despite enduring extremely poor examination conditions.

WAEC’s Anti-Cheating Measures Blamed by Some

Meanwhile, sources within WAEC revealed that several anti-cheating strategies were implemented during this year’s exams. One key method was the serialization of questions — meaning all candidates received the same questions in different orders, making it impossible to copy from neighbors.

This development, insiders say, may have contributed to the mass failure, especially in the objective papers, as many students relied on old patterns of malpractice that were no longer feasible.

Systemic Issues Highlighted by PTA President

The National President of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said that while the reduction in exam malpractice is commendable, there are deeper issues at play. He pointed to the chronic shortage of qualified teachers, lack of recruitment by state governments, unaffordable textbooks, poor teacher welfare, and inadequate school infrastructure as factors affecting student performance.

“How can a hungry teacher give their best? Many parents also don’t follow up on their children’s education,” he noted.

Shocking Decline in Pass Rate

WAEC’s released results on Monday painted a bleak picture. Out of 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the 2025 WASSCE, only 754,545 (38.32%) obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

This marks a sharp decline from the 2024 results, where 72.12% of candidates attained similar results — a difference of nearly 34 percentage points.

As calls grow louder for reforms and accountability, stakeholders say the situation underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s examination and education systems.