Reports emerging from multiple examination centres across Nigeria have raised serious concerns over the conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), as students were allegedly forced to write their Agricultural Science practical examination late into the night, in clear violation of the official timetable and examination standards.
Investigations by The Nigeria Education News indicate that the examination, scheduled for 2:00 p.m. across centres nationwide, did not commence until as late as 8:00 p.m. in several locations. Students were reportedly left waiting for hours without clear communication, supervision, or adequate logistical coordination from examination officials.
By the time the practical session eventually began, darkness had already set in across most parts of the country. In many centres, students were seen struggling to write and observe specimens using the dim light from mobile phone flashlights, raising concerns about fairness, safety, and academic integrity.
Education stakeholders have described the situation as not only unacceptable but also dangerous, especially in a country already grappling with widespread insecurity, abductions, and rising anxiety within school communities. Parents and teachers who spoke under anonymity described the development as “a systemic failure of examination administration.”
The situation has further intensified public criticism of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), with many questioning its preparedness, coordination capacity, and responsiveness to logistical challenges affecting nationwide examinations.
In some centres visited virtually through eyewitness accounts, students were said to have arrived as early as midday, only to remain idle for hours under uncertain conditions. Teachers reportedly struggled to manage anxious candidates, while supervisors offered limited explanations for the delay.
Beyond the academic disruption, concerns have also been raised about the psychological and physical toll on candidates. Writing a science practical under low visibility conditions, education experts argue, undermines the purpose of practical assessment and places students at a disadvantage compared to peers in better-equipped environments.
The incident has also reignited debate on the relevance and efficiency of regional examination systems, with some stakeholders calling for urgent reforms or stronger local alternatives. Critics argue that repeated logistical failures could justify strengthening national bodies such as the National Examinations Council (NECO) as a more reliable substitute or competitor in Nigeria’s assessment landscape.
Security concerns have further complicated the situation. With ongoing reports of student and teacher abductions in parts of the country, stakeholders warn that keeping students late into the night for examinations exposes them to additional risks, particularly in rural and peri-urban centres with poor security infrastructure.
As of the time of filing this report, WAEC has not issued a comprehensive nationwide explanation addressing the delay or the decision to proceed with examinations under such conditions. This silence has further fueled public frustration and calls for accountability.
For many observers, the 2026 examination season is fast becoming a symbol of deeper systemic issues within Nigeria’s education and governance structures—where planning gaps, insecurity, and institutional inefficiencies converge at the expense of students’ futures.
What should have been a standard academic assessment has, instead, turned into a national embarrassment, leaving many to ask difficult questions about preparedness, responsibility, and the future of public examinations in Nigeria.
