Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the recent incident where Nigerian students were forced to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, in dark and unfit conditions, calling it a ‘national disgrace.’
Meanwhile, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, slammed WAEC, for the delay in the conduct of English Language examination in the ongoing SSCE.
In a statement, Atiku urged immediate action to address the systemic failures in Nigeria’s education sector.
He said: “This is not merely an unfortunate incident, it is a damning indictment of our systemic failure to uphold the most basic standards in public education.
“It is unacceptable, unjustifiable, and utterly indefensible that in 2025, our children are forced to write critical national exams in pitch darkness like second-class citizens.
“Examination preparedness is a shared responsibility between students and the examination authorities. In this case, it is glaringly evident that the latter has failed spectacularly in their duty.
“I, therefore, demand, unequivocally, that the affected examination paper be retaken in all compromised centres. Anything less would be a grave injustice to the students whose futures hang in the balance.
“Going forward, it is imperative that relevant authorities establish and enforce minimum environmental and infrastructural standards for all high-stakes national examinations.“
