The House of Representatives has asked the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to submit to the guidelines and a detailed report of the conduct of 2025 the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) to it within 24 hours.
The House Committee on Basic Education Examination Bodies made the request at the investigative hearing on the immediate and underlying causes of the midnight conduct of the examination in parts of the country.
The resolution was sequel to the adoption by Hon. Mary Ibikake (PDP, Bayelsa) when the committee drilled the Head of WAEC in Nigeria, Dr Amos Dangut at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja on Monday.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Oboku Oforji (PDP, Bayelsa) said the panel and indeed all Nigerians especially parents of affected candidates deserved explanations as to what happened on the day English paper was to be taken.
Oforji recalled that the committee had demanded explanation for the poor handling of the WAEC examinations which has caused a huge public outcry and condemnation across the country.
“This committee wants to know, parents and Nigerians want to know, we owe them a duty of care, and to whom much is given, much is expected; monies were appropriated by Parliament for the conduct of these examinations.
“We are not trying to kill a fly with a sledge hammer as a committee, but like I said in the last meeting, we need to know the immediate and remote causes of the woeful conduct of the examinations, and in doing this we may forestall a future occurrence,” he said.
In his response, Dangut apologised to all Nigerians, parents and candidates as well as all stakeholders for the glitch witnessed during the paper.
He attributes the glitch to the logistics resulting from the need to set and print new questions to replace earlier questions that were earlier leaked to avoid undue advantage for some candidates.
Dangut said the printing press of WAEC was operating at 50 per cent capacity, adding that the council had to engage external vendors to support the printing which led to the leakage of the examination.
He explained that the glitch occurred in the distribution of the papers which had to be done overnight as some vehicle broke down in very difficult terrain.
The WAEC boss said a proper investigation had commenced and legal actions will be taken against any one found wanting.
Dangut said contrary to some speculations held in some quarters, candidates were not denied access to food and consciences.
He said schools, parents and officials of WAEC were able to provide alternative source of light which included rechargeable lights, torchlight, candlelight, handset lights among others to provide lumination for the affected candidates.
Dangut said investments had been made to ensure the internal printing press commence operation at maximum capacity to prevent future occurrence.
In his ruling, the committee’s chairman charged WAEC in Nigeria to put measures in place to avoid such embarrassment to the country and the panel adjourned sine die.
