In a deeply troubling development, secondary school students in several parts of Benue State were forced to complete the objective section of their English Language paper under harsh and unsafe conditions late into Wednesday night.
The delay, attributed to the late arrival of examination materials, compelled many candidates to rely on phone torchlights and lanterns to complete the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to multiple eyewitness accounts, the candidates had already finished the essay portion earlier in the day but were kept waiting for several hours due to the failure of the designated exam officer to deliver the objective section on time. In some centres, the exam was not concluded until nearly midnight, with some students reportedly finishing as late as 11:00 p.m.
A student from a school in Ogbadibo Local Government Area, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the experience as both physically and mentally exhausting.
“We waited and waited. After writing the essay, we sat idly for hours. When the exam officer eventually arrived, it was already dark, and we had to use phone lights and lanterns to see our answer sheets. It was very difficult to concentrate under those conditions,” the student said.
Another candidate, frustrated by the situation, criticized the exam officer for failing to provide any justification for the delay.
“He just walked in, handed us the papers, and left. No explanation, no apology. We had already been sitting there in tension and confusion for hours,” the student added.
Parents and Communities Alarmed
News of the late-night exam quickly spread, sparking concern and panic among parents, many of whom rushed to their children’s schools upon hearing they were still on the premises after dark. In Owukpa, a community in the same local government, one parent described the situation as a “national embarrassment.”
“Children were writing a national exam under lantern light, in remote areas surrounded by bushes. How is that acceptable in 2025? It’s not just a failure of WAEC; it’s a failure of our education system and our government,” the concerned parent lamented.
Security Risks and Logistical Chaos
The delays also raised alarms regarding security, particularly in communities grappling with threats from criminal elements. A community leader in Owukpa revealed that the exam supervisor had to be lodged overnight for safety reasons.
“By the time the exam ended, it was too late for him to return. No one moves around at that hour here, not with the insecurity we’re facing. So we had to provide accommodation for him,” the elder said.
In some schools, reports indicate that students didn’t receive the objective section at all and were instructed to return early the next day to complete it casting doubts on the fairness and uniformity of the examination process across the state.
Teachers Question Exam Integrity
A senior teacher at one of the affected schools voiced grave concerns about the credibility of the WASSCE following the disorganized rollout of the English exam.
“This is not just an inconvenience; it’s a serious breach. Students write the same papers nationwide, and when you introduce delays and allow some to write their exams under completely different conditions, you compromise the credibility of the process,” he said.
He called on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to urgently address the situation, offer a public explanation, and take steps to ensure such logistical lapses are not repeated in future examination cycles.
WAEC Yet to Respond
As of the time of filing this report, WAEC had not released any official statement in response to the incident, leaving affected students, parents, and schools in a state of confusion and anger.
Stakeholders across the region are demanding accountability, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the causes of the delay and punitive action against those responsible for compromising the examination schedule.
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