The Senate on Tuesday raised national concern as it summoned the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Head of the National Office of the West African Examinations Council, Dr. Amos Dangut, to explain the controversial changes made to the 2025/2026 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination subject structure. The upper chamber said the abrupt adjustments had thrown students, teachers, and schools into confusion barely months before the May/June 2026 examinations.
The summons followed a motion by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC – Kogi West), who warned that the revised structure could severely disrupt academic preparation for SS3 students. According to him, the updated guidelines alter core subject requirements and introduce new subjects that many schools are unprepared to teach. He noted that the changes were too sudden and risked creating widespread failure among next year’s candidates.
Karimi expressed deep worry that students might be compelled to sit for subjects they neither registered for nor received adequate instruction in. He described the policy shift as “destabilising,” insisting that educational reforms must never endanger learners who are already in their final exam cycle.
Several senators who contributed to the debate reinforced Karimi’s concerns, stressing that curriculum reviews are normal but must be implemented with careful timing. They argued that schools, teachers, and exam bodies require sufficient time to plan, recruit qualified instructors, and update instructional materials before new subjects can be introduced effectively.
Lawmakers therefore called for the immediate exemption of the 2025/2026 candidates from the revised structure. They proposed that any changes be deferred to the 2027/2028 academic session, giving the system adequate time to adapt and ensuring students are not unfairly disadvantaged by administrative decisions.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC – Edo North) delivered one of the strongest criticisms of the rollout, describing the changes as “hasty and ill-prepared.” He questioned whether WAEC and the Ministry of Education had assessed the availability of teachers, teaching materials, and laboratories before implementing the new subject structure.
“We wake up and think of an idea and begin to implement it,” Oshiomhole said. “For a new subject to start, citizens should be well-informed to prepare. Do we have enough teachers? Have we prepared the laboratories? That evidence doesn’t exist.”
Senator Idiat Adebule (APC – Lagos West), a former school administrator and education commissioner, added that major curriculum or examination changes usually pass through the National Council on Education, which comprises all state commissioners. She questioned whether the normal procedures were followed and called for a thorough investigation into the decision-making process that led to the controversial changes.
Senator Adeola Olamilekan (APC – Ogun West), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said the move lacked academic justification. He warned that it was unreasonable to test students on subjects they had not been adequately taught, stressing that the Education Minister must provide detailed answers.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also queried the rationale behind removing Computer Studies and Civic Education from the list of examinable subjects. He argued that both subjects are crucial to digital literacy and national awareness, wondering why students would be deprived of essential civic and technological knowledge at a time when global education standards are rising.
“Everything is going digital. Why are we removing Computer Studies and Civic Education?” Akpabio asked. “Children need to know their national anthem and their civic obligations. We must investigate to confirm the accuracy of this information.”
Following the heated debate, the Senate referred the matter to its Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, directing it to report back within two weeks. Lawmakers said the explanation from WAEC and the Ministry of Education must be comprehensive enough to address public anxieties.
Tuesday’s intervention came just five days after the House of Representatives also criticised WAEC’s removal of several subjects such as Civic Education, Computer Studies, and Electrical Installation from its examination portal. During last week’s plenary, the House urged the Ministry of Education to urgently review and reverse the changes, describing the modifications as harmful to national development goals.
The motion, moved by Hon. Oboku Oforji (Bayelsa), emphasised that while periodic updates to the curriculum are necessary, scrapping foundational subjects undermines learning outcomes and threatens digital literacy. The House insisted that such essential subjects must remain central in the country’s education system.
The controversy has since intensified public outcry, with parents, school owners, and education stakeholders demanding clarity from WAEC and the Ministry of Education. Many fear that without urgent intervention, the sudden changes could destabilise thousands of students preparing for the 2026 examinations.
