Katsina State Demands WAEC Cancels English Language Paper Over Midnight Exam Fiasco

 

The Katsina State Government has formally demanded the cancellation of the English Language Paper 2 administered during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), following a nightmarish experience that saw students writing the crucial paper under candlelight and phone torches late into the night.

Wednesday, May 28, turned out to be a harrowing day for thousands of WASSCE candidates across Nigeria. Instead of sitting for the English Language Paper 2 at its scheduled time of 12 noon, students were left stranded for hours due to the delayed arrival of question papers. Many candidates were not able to commence the exam until well after nightfall, with some not completing their scripts until midnight.

Zainab Musa-Musawa, the Katsina State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, took a bold step on Saturday, May 31, to confront the matter head-on. She personally visited the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) office in Katsina to deliver a petition articulating the state’s firm stance on the examination mishap. The petition, endorsed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Ummukhair Ahmed, detailed the state’s demand for a cancellation of the compromised English Language paper.

A glaring highlight of the event was the inhumane conditions under which the students were forced to complete one of their most critical secondary school examinations. Due to the late arrival of question papers, school environments that lacked proper lighting witnessed students writing by the dim glow of candles and mobile phone torchlights. Teachers and invigilators scrambled to maintain order, even as exhaustion, frustration, and confusion mounted among candidates and their parents.

The experience, which has been described as "deeply traumatizing" by local educators, quickly drew criticism from several quarters, prompting the examination body to issue a public apology. WAEC acknowledged the delay and admitted to operational setbacks that disrupted the day’s examination schedule. In its statement, the council explained that the delay was a result of enhanced security protocols intended to curb the widespread menace of exam malpractice and the leakage of sensitive exam materials.

Nevertheless, for the Katsina State Government, the damage had already been done.

“The integrity of the examination was clearly compromised, and the physical and mental well-being of our children was put at risk,” Musa-Musawa stated during her visit to WAEC’s regional office. “We cannot, in good conscience, allow this paper to stand.”

The Commissioner emphasized that many candidates had been unable to perform optimally due to fatigue, fear, and the lack of proper exam conditions. Reports from various schools indicated that some students were too tired to concentrate effectively, while others suffered from anxiety attacks due to the unusual circumstances. In some remote areas, the absence of electricity left students completely in the dark, relying solely on their mobile devices for lighting.

Parents have also voiced their outrage over the situation. A number of them lamented the trauma their children endured, and the physical risks posed by having them return home around midnight in insecure neighborhoods. One parent, Halima Abdullahi, described the ordeal as “a violation of basic educational and human rights.”

Education stakeholders across the state have begun to rally behind the government’s position, asserting that the examination did not meet the standards of fairness, equity, and reliability required for such a high-stakes assessment. Teachers' unions and student groups are now calling on WAEC to issue a formal response to the petition and offer clearer explanations about what led to the nationwide disruption.

Though WAEC has admitted fault and extended its regrets, the exam body has yet to indicate whether it will entertain the idea of cancelling and rescheduling the English Language paper. Such a decision, if taken, would likely affect the examination timeline and result release schedule across Nigeria and other West African countries participating in the WASSCE.

The Katsina State Government, however, remains resolute. “We owe it to our children to insist on fairness and proper treatment,” Musa-Musawa reiterated. “The events of May 28 should never repeat themselves. Accountability must be enforced.”

As the story unfolds, thousands of students and their families wait anxiously to see whether WAEC will nullify the controversial paper and allow them a fresh opportunity to prove themselves under more just and humane conditions.