Stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector have continued to raise concerns over the recently released 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, describing the performance as disastrous and alleging gross incompetence on the part of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
WAEC had on August 4 announced the release of the results, stating that out of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the examination, only 754,545 – representing 38.32 per cent – obtained credits and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The outcome marked a sharp decline from the 2024 WASSCE, where 72.12 per cent of candidates achieved the same benchmark, reflecting a staggering 33.8 per cent drop in performance.
The mass failure immediately triggered outrage, with parents and education groups calling for the cancellation of certain subjects, particularly English Language and Mathematics, which were marred by irregularities. WAEC later admitted to technical glitches and temporarily withdrew access to results, before restoring them after an internal review.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) blamed the debacle on system failure, citing the Council’s poor handling of the English Language paper which reportedly leaked and was written at irregular hours.
“The students, who had conditioned their minds to write the paper in the morning, were delayed till evening and even night in some centres,” NUT said, stressing that such lapses undermine the integrity of national assessments.
Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) described the conditions under which some candidates sat for the examinations as “horrific,” pointing out that students were emotionally drained and psychologically unprepared for rescheduled sittings.
Educators have been particularly critical. A school teacher, Divine Mike, described the development as a national disaster, accusing WAEC of “bastardising the entire education process.”
“You cannot make such a serious examination a subject of trial and error. Today the pass rate is 38 per cent, tomorrow it becomes 63 per cent. How are we supposed to trust the authenticity of these results?” he queried, calling for a federal probe and a reshuffling of WAEC’s leadership.
Another private school teacher, Israel Chukwudi, warned that the lapses could cast doubt on WAEC’s proposed transition to full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by 2026.
“If WAEC, as an examination body, could not put its logistics together to ensure smooth conduct of WASSCE, how would it manage a nationwide CBT system, especially in rural areas with weak digital infrastructure?” he asked.
Some of the affected candidates told DAILY POST that they were now pinning their hopes on the National Examination Council (NECO) results.
“This has never happened before. Why would an examination body as mighty as WAEC toy with innocent children’s future? My only hope now is in NECO,” lamented a candidate, Ogwuche Aminu.
Another candidate, Blessing Uguru, admitted that indiscipline and lack of preparation also played a role in the poor performance, saying, “Students no longer make time to read. I learnt my lesson the hard way. I’m waiting for NECO to know my fate.”
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, through the ministry’s spokesperson, Boriowo Folasade, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and educational excellence.
Alausa noted that despite the outrage, malpractice cases had consistently declined over the past three years—from 16.29 per cent in 2023 to 11.92 per cent in 2024, and further down to 9.70 per cent in 2025—attributing the trend to WAEC’s anti-malpractice measures, including the serialisation of question papers in key subjects.
He also pledged increased investment in teacher training and professional development to enhance the quality of learning.
“We are committed to producing competent teachers who can better prepare students for academic success. Let us work together to ensure that every hardworking child has the opportunity to succeed,” the Minister said.
