KEY POINTS
- The WAEC result review triggers a transparency and accountability debate.
- Stakeholders warn of risks to the 2026 CBT rollout.
- Leadership failures are blamed for systemic examination issues.
The West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) recent reversal and adjustment of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results has ignited a heated national conversation—splitting opinion between those praising the council’s transparency and those decrying it as yet another symptom of systemic failure.
While some educators view the move as a bold step toward accountability, critics say the timing, fairness, and broader consequences for students’ academic futures cast a shadow over WAEC’s credibility.
Public reactions to WAEC result review
Gift Osikoya, a teacher at a foreign secondary school in Nigeria, called the development “commendable,” arguing that admitting the error, making prompt adjustments, and notifying the public showed integrity.
She stressed that initial results caused widespread anxiety and could have disrupted academic plans, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards.
Her caution was clear: WAEC must strengthen quality control, especially with innovations like paper serialization. She stated that while swift communication was helpful, the damage to students’ mental well-being had already occurred.
Leadership and accountability in WAEC
Elizabeth Ohaka, an early childhood education expert, saw the incident as symptomatic of deeper governance failures.
“We react, but we are not proactive,” she said, calling for leadership to take real responsibility—potentially through firings or resignations. She lamented Nigeria’s recurring cycle of errors without consequence.
WAEC result review sparks CBT concerns
Nubi Achebo, director of academic planning at the Nigerian University of Technology and Management, said the grading reversal was a “big deal” with implications for WAEC’s planned transition to full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by 2026. He warned that gaps in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, especially in rural areas, could worsen the problem.
In Port Harcourt, head teacher Blessing Ema questioned WAEC’s operations entirely. She cited delays, errors, and even a shortage of answer sheets that forced students to write on foolscap paper—an unprecedented occurrence.
As WAEC attempts to steady its reputation, the broader conversation now hinges on whether the council can deliver reforms to restore trust before its digital overhaul in 2026.
