The recently released 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have been met with significant criticism and concern from Nigerian education stakeholders. Many have described the entire process as “bastardising” the Nigerian education system, expressing fears over the integrity and future of academic assessments in the country.
The 2025 WASSCE results stirred controversy after an initial glaringly low pass rate of 38.32% was announced, a dramatic drop compared to the 72.12% recorded in 2024. Following widespread outrage, WAEC quickly suspended access to the results portal and conducted an internal review. The council subsequently released revised results, showing an improved pass rate of 62.96%. However, even this corrected figure still signifies a notable decline in performance compared to previous years.
WAEC’s Head of Nigeria Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, acknowledged and apologized for a serious grading error caused by the misuse of serialised code files during the marking of subjects like English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Economics. This critical technical glitch misrepresented candidates’ actual performance and contributed to public distrust of the results.
Education experts, parents, and teachers have expressed deep frustration, emphasizing that such errors undermine the credibility of the examination system and demoralize students. Critics argue that the persistent mistakes and mishandling within WAEC reflect broader systemic weaknesses, calling for urgent reforms in examination administration, technology adoption, and result verification processes.
Many have also highlighted the negative implications this controversy could have on students’ futures, particularly in university admissions and career prospects, as inaccurate results delay or distort education trajectories. Some candidates still face difficulties accessing their corrected results, further exacerbating anxieties.
In response, educators and advocacy groups urge WAEC to uphold higher standards, enhance transparency, and engage in capacity building to restore confidence in Nigeria’s education evaluation frameworks. Without swift and decisive action, stakeholders warn that Nigeria’s education sector risks further decline in quality and reputation.
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