Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in dark and unfit conditions across Nigeria as a “national disgrace” and a “damning indictment” of the country’s education system.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, May 29, Atiku expressed outrage over the ordeal faced by students and called for immediate corrective action.
“The recent report of students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in appallingly dark and unfit conditions across the country is nothing short of a national disgrace,” he wrote.
He noted with dismay that the development occurred just a day after International Children’s Day, saying, “That this outrage occurred just a day after the world marked International Children’s Day only deepens the shame.”
According to him, the situation is not merely unfortunate but reflects “a damning indictment of our systemic failure to uphold the most basic standards in public education.”
Atiku continued, “It is unacceptable, unjustifiable, and utterly indefensible that in 2025, our children are forced to write critical national exams in pitch darkness like second-class citizens.”
He called on the government to treat the incident with the urgency it deserves and urged that affected students be given a chance to retake the compromised paper.
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“I therefore demand, unequivocally, that the affected examination paper be retaken in all compromised centres. Anything less would be a grave injustice to the students whose futures hang in the balance,” he said.
The former presidential candidate criticised the role of examination authorities in the matter.
“Examination preparedness is a shared responsibility between students and the examination authorities. In this case, it is glaringly evident that the latter have failed spectacularly in their duty,” he stated.
He further recommended that the government set clear benchmarks to prevent such lapses in future.
“Going forward, it is imperative that relevant authorities establish and enforce minimum environmental and infrastructural standards for all high-stakes national examinations.
“We must never allow such a shameful scenario to repeat itself, not under our watch,” Atiku said.
The incident has sparked outrage among citizens and education stakeholders, with many demanding accountability from the examination bodies involved.