The 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has sparked outrage across Nigeria, with education stakeholders accusing the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) of failing students and “bastardising” the nation’s education system.

WAEC released the results on August 4, revealing that out of 1,969,313 candidates, only 754,545 — just 38.32% — obtained credits in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. This represents a sharp decline from 2024, when over 72% of candidates passed the same benchmark.

The outcome triggered widespread criticism, with many parents and groups demanding the cancellation of some papers, especially English and Mathematics. WAEC later admitted to technical glitches and withdrew access to results temporarily before making corrections.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) described the situation as evidence of system failure, citing the poor conditions under which candidates wrote some of the exams. “The English Language paper was delayed for hours due to a leak. Some students ended up writing late into the night. How could they perform well under such conditions?” the union said.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also condemned the conduct of the exams, calling it “terrible” and emotionally draining for candidates.

Teachers equally expressed deep concerns. One teacher, Divine Mike, described the situation as a “national disaster,” questioning WAEC’s credibility. “You cannot make such a serious examination a subject of trial and error. Today, the pass rate is 38%, tomorrow it’s 63%. How do we trust these results?” he asked.

Others warned that if WAEC cannot manage logistics now, its planned transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in 2026 may fail, given Nigeria’s weak digital infrastructure, especially in rural areas.

Meanwhile, affected students are shifting their hopes to the ongoing National Examination Council (NECO) exams. “This has never happened before. My only hope now is NECO,” said Ogwuche Aminu, one of the candidates.

Responding to the backlash, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to accountability and credible examinations. He noted that malpractice rates have dropped consistently over the past three years and promised continued investment in teacher training and exam reforms.

Still, stakeholders insist that urgent reforms are needed at WAEC to restore public confidence. For many, the fate of Nigeria’s education system — and the future of its children — hangs in the balance.