WASSCE 2025 Mass Failure Sparks Outrage, Calls for Probe into WAEC’s Credibility

The release of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results has continued to stir heated reactions across Nigeria’s education sector. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had on Monday, August 4, 2025, officially announced the results for school candidates.

According to the council, a total of 1,969,313 candidates sat for the examination. However, only 754,545—representing 38.32%—secured credits and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. By contrast, the 2024 results reflected a far stronger performance, with 72.12% of candidates achieving similar success, marking a sharp 33.8% decline this year.

This drastic drop has provoked strong criticism from parents, teachers, and education groups, with some calling for the cancellation of key subjects such as English and Mathematics. Many stakeholders have demanded an independent investigation into the crisis, describing it as evidence of systemic failure within WAEC.

Amid the backlash, WAEC admitted to discovering “technical glitches” in the release of results for Mathematics, English Language, Biology, and Economics, which forced a temporary withdrawal of access from its portal. The council later apologized, assuring the public that the issues had been corrected.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) described the controversy as a result of poor planning and irregularities during the exams. “Candidates were made to write some papers, like English Language, at odd hours due to a leak. Students who prepared for a morning exam ended up writing late into the evening,” the union stated.

Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the conduct of the exams, describing the English Language paper as “horrific” and emotionally draining for candidates.

Teachers also voiced concerns. Divine Mike, a secondary school teacher, labeled the development a “national disaster,” questioning WAEC’s credibility. “Today the pass rate is 38 per cent, tomorrow 63 per cent. How can we trust the authenticity of these results?” he asked, urging the federal government to intervene. Another educator, Israel Chukwudi, warned that the crisis casts doubt on WAEC’s planned transition to full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in 2026, particularly given Nigeria’s weak digital infrastructure.

For many students, disappointment quickly turned to anxiety. Some, like Ogwuche Aminu and Blessing Uguru, told NEWSMEN that their hopes now rest on the forthcoming NECO examinations. While Aminu lamented that WAEC had “toyed with children’s futures,” Uguru blamed both WAEC and students’ poor reading culture for the outcome.

Responding to the uproar, Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, through the ministry’s spokesperson, Boriowo Folasade, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to educational excellence, accountability, and zero tolerance for malpractice. He noted a steady decline in exam malpractice cases in recent years— from 16.29% in 2023, to 11.92% in 2024, and 9.70% in 2025—attributed to measures such as the serialization of question papers in core subjects.

Alausa also emphasized the government’s priority on capacity-building for teachers. “We are committed to producing smart, competent teachers to better prepare our students for academic success. Let us work together to ensure that every hardworking child has the opportunity to succeed” he said.