The Chief Executive Officer of Educare, a leading Nigerian edtech firm, Mr. Alex Onyia, has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the education sector, citing entrenched systemic failures that continue to fuel examination malpractice and hinder national progress.
Onyia made the call via his official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday, May 30, 2025. According to him, decades of unchecked malpractice have not only compromised the integrity of national examinations but also laid the foundation for widespread corruption in the larger society.
“We need to declare a State of Emergency on Education in Nigeria,” Onyia wrote. “The fraud, corruption and theft in government start from the school system.”
He further recommended the adoption of high-integrity Computer-Based Testing (CBT) systems as a critical intervention to curb widespread fraud in examinations conducted by bodies such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), and General Certificate of Education (GCE).
Onyia’s comments come against the backdrop of public outcry following major disruptions in the ongoing 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
On May 28, thousands of candidates nationwide faced significant delays in sitting for English Language Paper II and III, with reports indicating that some students concluded their papers as late as 10:00 p.m., often under poor lighting conditions.
Reacting to the situation, WAEC attributed the delays to enhanced anti-malpractice protocols introduced to safeguard the integrity of the examination process. The council said the new measures were necessary to prevent early leakage of question papers and protect the credibility of its assessments.
Onyia, known for his reform advocacy in the education sector, has been at the forefront of grassroots and policy-level initiatives aimed at improving educational standards in Nigeria, especially through digital innovation and capacity building.
