Gladness Gideon
Dozens of students participating in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State narrowly escaped death on Wednesday evening after their classrooms collapsed during a torrential downpour accompanied by a violent windstorm.
The affected students, along with teachers, National Youth Service Corps members, and external exam supervisors, were reportedly trapped beneath the collapsed structures. They were rescued by concerned residents who rushed to the scene following the incident.
Several students sustained varying degrees of injuries, with some reportedly suffering bone fractures. All injured victims are currently receiving treatment at a local Primary Healthcare Centre in the community.
A resident who witnessed the incident said the collapse occurred around 6 p.m., just as the second batch of candidates had settled in for their examination.
“It was the second group of students who were still writing their papers that got caught in the collapse. The first set had already finished and left the school premises. Then the storm hit — the wind was strong, and the old classrooms just couldn’t hold up,” the eyewitness explained.
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He added that the windstorm not only brought down school buildings but also destroyed several homes in the surrounding area.
In a related development, the heavy rainfall disrupted WASSCE activities in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital. Some students were forced to remain at their examination centres until after 1 a.m., as the downpour rendered roads impassable.
In addition to the weather-related disruptions, there were reports of a significant delay in the delivery of examination papers. At some centres, candidates could not begin their papers until around 8 p.m., due to the late arrival of examination materials.
Efforts to reach the Taraba State Commissioner for Basic Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin, were unsuccessful, as calls to her mobile phone went unanswered as of press time.