WAEC Apologizes For Conducting Late Night Exam In Benue, Explains What Happened

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed its apologies for the delay in administering the English Language Paper 2 during the ongoing 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Naijaonpoint reported earlier that students in parts of Benue State were forced to write the objective section of their English examination under dire conditions on Wednesday night, using phone torchlights and lanterns due to a prolonged delay in the delivery of exam papers.

The affected candidates had earlier completed the essay component of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) but were left waiting for several hours for the arrival of the exam officer with the objective section.

The delay stretched into the night, with some centres reportedly concluding the exams as late as 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28.

Speaking to Daily Post, a student from a secondary school in Ogbadibo Local Government Area, who requested anonymity, described the ordeal: “We waited for hours after writing the essay. When the exam officer finally came, we had to use our phone lights and lanterns to write the objective section. It was very stressful.”

The examination council, however, in a statement issued on Thursday morning through the Acting Head of the Public Affairs Department at WAEC, Moyosola Adesina, acknowledged that it faced certain challenges.

It stated that while it successfully met its objectives, these challenges inadvertently affected the timeliness and smooth execution of the examination.

”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.

“We recognise the importance of the timely conduct of examinations and the impact of this decision on candidates, their schools and parents, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused,” WAEC stated.

“In spite of our best efforts, we encountered logistical hurdles, security concerns and socio-cultural factors that negatively influenced our operations,” WAEC added.

The council reiterated its dedication to maintaining the utmost standards in examination procedures and committed to further fostering academic excellence.