The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) faces renewed criticism after delays in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) forced students in parts of Lagos to write exams late into the night.
Parents, school administrators, and education stakeholders have protested the disruptions warning about its impact on students’ safety and performance.
WAEC candidates experienced delays in several centers across Lagos Island and the Lekki axis.
The delays affected multiple subjects over several days. As a result, candidates waited for hours before examinations began.
In some cases, students wrote papers as late as 10 p.m.
On Monday, WAEC scheduled Physics Papers 1 and 2 for 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
However, the exam did not start on time making candidates wait for hours and some students finishing exam around 8 p.m.
This delay raised concerns among school officials and parents.
On Wednesday, candidates also faced major disruption during the General Mathematics examination.
WAEC scheduled the essay paper for 9:30 a.m. to noon. It later scheduled the objective paper for 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m and both papers ran far behind schedule making candidates writes 10 p.m.
Parents described the situation as exhausting and unfair.
On Thursday evening, candidates preparing for Agricultural Science Practical also faced delays because examination materials did not arrive on time at several centers.
Officials told students to wait while they tried to resolve the issue causing candidates to wait for several hours before receiving instructions.
A school principal, who spoke anonymously, criticised the repeated delays.
He said the situation places unnecessary pressure on students.
“Why does this keep happening after last year?” he asked. “Students suffer psychological stress when exams shift into the night.”
A parent in Lekki also expressed frustration. “My child returned home at 10 p.m., “We expected improvements this year, but the problem continues.”
