WAEC IN CRISIS: English Paper Leaked Online, Midnight Exams Spark National Fury
Date: June 1, 2025 | Byline: IDNN Education Desk
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is battling a multi-layered credibility crisis following the leak of its English Language paper and reports that some students were forced to sit the exam at midnight in remote parts of the country.
The developments have triggered a wave of outrage, with lawmakers, education activists, and parents calling for:
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Suspension of senior WAEC officials
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A full probe into the exam leak syndicate
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Halt to the rushed plan for Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in WASSCE exams
“How do you subject children to midnight trauma and then claim you’re ready for CBT? WAEC has failed,” said House Committee Chair Oforji Oboku.
Exams at Midnight, Leaks by 3 a.m.
WAEC candidates in Taraba, parts of Benue, and some riverine communities reportedly wrote their English Language paper between 12 a.m. and 3 a.m., citing delays in delivery caused by logistics failures.
At the same time, verified WAEC answers and full question sets surfaced on Telegram, WhatsApp channels, and Facebook forums — sparking concerns that the entire process may have been compromised before the exam even began.
House of Reps Summons WAEC Boss
The House of Representatives education committee on Friday rejected WAEC’s delegation and summoned the Head of National Office to appear directly.
“The papers came through drivers, not secure channels. There was no backup. No respect for timing. No respect for our students,” fumed Rep. Awaji Abiante.
Lawmakers insisted that CBT cannot be implemented “just to look digital,” especially when electricity, internet, and technical literacy are still lacking in most public schools.
Experts Warn: CBT Can’t Fix WAEC’s Deeper Problems
Education analysts warn that WAEC is rushing the CBT push without:
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Fixing exam security
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Establishing infrastructure
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Training invigilators and examiners
“Leaked CBT is still a leaked exam,” said Prof. Ayo Oduwole, an educational technologist.
Others say WAEC is trying to follow JAMB’s CBT model without the capacity or resources to execute at scale.
