Atiku lambasts WAEC over late-night English exam, says it’s a national disgrace

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has blasted the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the late conduct of the English Language paper across the country in the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, saying the delay a grave injustice to the students and national disgrace.

Atiku disclosed this in a strongly worded post on his official Facebook page on Thursday, where he decried the situation as “unacceptable, unjustifiable, and utterly indefensible.”

He said it was ironic that such a national disgrace occured a day after the world marked International Children’s Day, saying it underscores the depth of neglect in the country’s education sector.

“This is not merely an unfortunate incident — it is a damning indictment of our systemic failure to uphold the most basic standards in public education. That in 2025, our children are forced to write critical national exams in pitch darkness like second-class citizens is beyond shameful,” Atiku said.

The former vice president called for an immediate retake of the affected examination paper in all compromised centres, stating that anything short of this would be a “grave injustice” to the students whose academic futures are at stake.

“Examination preparedness is a shared responsibility between students and examination authorities. In this case, it is glaringly evident that the latter have failed spectacularly in their duty. It would be utterly unjust to allow students to suffer the consequences of such gross institutional negligence,” he stated.

Atiku further called for urgent and sustained investments in education and critical infrastructure, demanding that authorities enforce minimum environmental and infrastructural standards for all future high-stakes national examinations.

“We must never allow such a shameful scenario to repeat itself — not under our watch,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, WAEC has issued an apology following the delay in the conduct of the English Language paper two.

The council cited security concerns, logistical hurdles and sociocultural factors as key contributors to the disruption.

The Acting Head of Public Affairs, WAEC, Moyosola Adesina, in a statement, explained that the delay was a consequence of heightened efforts to prevent examination leakage and uphold the integrity of the exam process.

“While we successfully achieved our objective of preventing any leakage, it inadvertently impacted the timeliness and seamless conduct of the examination,” the statement read.

She stressed that the integrity and security of its examinations remain a top priority, while also noting the frustration and inconvenience experienced by the candidates, schools and parents.

To avert future reoccurrence , the acting head of public affairs disclosed that it is working closely with security agencies to strengthen operational efficiency and ensure smooth administration moving forward.

“We recognise the importance of the timely conduct of examinations and the impact of this delay. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences caused,” she stated.

Adesina expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their patience and support during the disruption, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining high standards and promoting academic excellence across the West African sub-region.