After the error that happened during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which affected some 379,000 candidates, parents and Nigerians were hoping that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) would not face a similar challenge. Affected students were happy that JAMB gave them a second chance.
Students wrote WAEC English paper at night in some schools. Photo credit: Getty Images/Will & Deni McIntyre and WAEC.Source: UGC
But recent media reports are making parents and Nigerians worried about the outcome of the 2025 WAEC examination, given that some papers are being written in the night with the aid of torchlight.
From social media posts to media publications, people are calling out WAEC after it was noticed that some papers, particularly English language, were taken in the night, and students reported home late.
Social media is replete with complaints from parents and relatives of students who are not only worried about how their wards will perform but are also scared for the security of the students.
The English language paper, taken on Wednesday, May 28, received the loudest criticism from Nigerians as it appeared the night schedule affected many schools.
Lady angry as her sister returns late from school
Speaking in a TikTok video, a lady identified as @therealklizz lamented that her younger sister returned home at close to 10pm.
In her opinion, the security of the students should be considered, and it might be hard for them to perform well if the nightly papers continue.
She said:
“This is 6 minutes to 10 and my sister is just coming back from school. She is writing WAEC. Does this make any sense? Students were still writing WAEC paper or examination at past 9 O’clock in the night. What is going on with our educational system in Nigeria? What is going on? My sister came back and she was saying that some of her mates had to stay over at their classmate’s house because they can’t go to their own house because it either not safe for them, their area is not safe. What about children whose parents don’t have cars and don’t have means of going to pick them in the school? You guys are not even talking about how risky it is to be writing exams at past 9′ Oclock in the night. What are they writing?”
More angry reactions flooded social media as people said the students might not perform well if they have to go to school and wait until night for an examination to commence.
Man says his sister returned by 10pm
Another Nigerian who reacted to the development with anger is Emmanuel Adebayo, who wondered when WAEC started conducting examinations at night.
He was shocked that his younger sister made it home by 10pm after taking the English language paper.
He had said on X:
“My sister got home after 10 PM yesterday from writing WAEC. Please, when did WAEC start conducting exams at night? What kind of incompetence is this, risking the lives of children who have to go home late at night?”
Viral video alleges another WAEC paper was taken at night
It was not only the English language paper that was written in the night, as there have been social media reports which alleged that another paper was taken by students with the aid of ta orchlight
A video that circulated on TikTok and other social media platforms on May 23 indicated that one school in Asaba also took a paper at night.
In the video, a voice could be heard calling out the invigilator and WAEC for bringing the paper late.
The female voice that spoke in the video said the paper was supposed to be brought to the school by 2pm, but alleged that the invigilator only came by 6pm.
The voice said:
“Even during my time of lantern, we no use torchlight write WAEC. It’s not okay! Paper that is supposed to start by 2:000. they brought it by 6:00. No light in the school. He is using torchlight to write WAEC in unity model school Asaba, state capital, not in a village o! WAEC must write exam by night. People are still writing, see them now. Writing by night. This is wickedness. Writing exam by night. They are supposed to bring this paper by 2:00. They stayed till night. He is collecting their papers that they should go.”
Experts speak on the deployment of CBT for WAEC
Speaking on the widespread criticism of WAEC, popular education advocate, Alex Onyia, said there is a need for important national examination bodies to be fixed.
Experts are advocating the adoption of CBT for WAEC after the late arrival of the English paper. Photo credit: Getty Images/Alys Tomlinson, TikTok/@rubricnaija and WAEC.Source: UGC
Apart from examination papers being taken at night, Alex said another problem is that of examination fraud perpetrated, allegedly by schools and students.
He said:
“I conducted a research in Benin last year and found out that majorly of the students drop out of formal schools in SS2 just to join a lesson centers to aid them in WAEC fraud. It’s easy to see someone with 5 distinctions including English Language and yet the person can’t make a complete sentence. No understand of the subject matter that he/she was awarded a distinction on. We have so many low quality graduates because they participated in WAEC fraud and sorted their ways throughout the university years.”
According to Alex, who is the CEO of Educare and who took part in the review of the error that happened during the 2025 UTME, WAEC need to adopt more technologies in handling its examination.
He said the examination body needs to deploy computer-based testing to make it easier to conduct their exams.
His words:
“We need to restore the integrity of our national examinations. WAEC, NECO, and GCE need to step up. JAMB is already on the right path but needs to radically improve their system. WAEC urgently needs to deploy CBT in 2026. That alone should eliminate over 60% of the fraud if done properly. We need to urgently fix these decays in our education system. Nigeria will rise again if our education system is fixed urgently.”
Another expert, Success Osaigbovo of Gifted Minds Lectures and Technologies, who is a teacher and who prepares students for WAEC and JAMB UTME, said it is time for WAEC to deploy CBT.
He told TheTalk.NG:
“I support WAEC CBT-based 100℅ because this will eradicate examination malpractice, which has been rampant all over the country. “
WAEC has since issued an apology and acknowledged that there were logistical challenges during the English examination.
It said some of the challenges arose due to the effort deployed by the body to prevent leakages in examination papers.
The body said:
“While maintaining the integrity and security of our examination, we faced considerable challenges primarily due to our major aim of preventing leakage of any paper. While we successfully achieved our objective, it inadvertently impacted the timeliness and seamless conduct of the examination. Despite our best efforts, we encountered logistical hurdles, security concerns and sociocultural factors that negatively influenced our operations. In order to forestall future occurrences of this nature, the council is currently collaborating with security agencies. We recognise the importance of timely conduct of examinations and the impact of this decision on the candidates, their schools and parents, and we sincerely apologise for any inconveniences caused.”
Man challenges niece to do well in WAEC
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that a Nigerian man has said he is going to give his niece a cash gift of N2 million if she does well in the 2025 WAEC.
The man, Niyi Omotoso, shared his own WAEC result showing he scored A1 in seven WAEC subjects when he wrote in 2011.
He said if his niece could finish the 2025 WAEC and return home with a better result, she would get the huge cash reward.
Source: TheTalk.NG
