On Monday, the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education harshly criticized the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for widespread failures and irregularities during the 2025 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
During a heated session at the National Assembly, lawmakers questioned WAEC Nigeria’s Head, Dr. Amos Dangut, over what they termed deep-rooted issues undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s exam system.
The Committee Chairman Oforji Oboku condemned WAEC’s performance and publicly apologized to affected students and parents, vowing reforms to prevent a repeat of the chaotic examination process.
He highlighted troubling instances, such as students writing exams under torchlight late at night, calling it a profound failure of leadership.
Despite clarifying that the inquiry wasn’t a witch-hunt, Oboku stressed the need to identify and address the root causes of WAEC’s systemic shortcomings.
“This gathering reflects our collective resolve to restore dignity and credibility to our examination system. On behalf of this committee, I offer an unreserved apology to Nigerian parents, guardians, and candidates who suffered the chaos of the last examination cycle. We are committed to ensuring this never happens again.” He said.
Criticism intensified over WAEC’s lack of digital infrastructure and inadequate preparation for Computer-Based Testing (CBT), especially in rural areas.
The committee called for a national education summit to assess the state of school infrastructure nationwide and raised concerns about the damage done to Nigeria’s regional reputation.
Oboku while giving his final remarks emphasized that restoring competence and integrity to the education system is vital to securing Nigeria’s future.
