*Slams WAEC For “Students Forced To Write Exams With Candles, Phone Lights”
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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the National Assembly to launch an urgent and thorough investigation into the recent controversies surrounding the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), describing the events as a disturbing reflection of systemic failure in Nigeria’s educational sector.
In a strongly worded statement jointly signed by the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary, Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, the association expressed deep concern over the integrity and conditions under which the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were conducted.
According to the statement, the death by suicide of 19-year-old Miss Timilehin Faith Opesusi, reportedly over a low UTME score, highlights the devastating emotional toll of the flawed process. JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, had admitted to a security breach in the Board’s computer systems, leading to the cancellation of results for nearly 380,000 candidates across 157 centres in Lagos and the South East.
“Such breaches erode public trust and destroy the future of our children,” the NBA said, noting that JAMB failed in its duty of care to Nigerian students.
The NBA also raised alarm over the conduct of the ongoing WAEC examinations, revealing that students in several states were forced to write exams late into the night using candles and mobile phone flashlights due to poor planning and lack of electricity. In some cases, papers scheduled for 4 p.m. did not begin until after 7 p.m., resulting in fatigue, exposure to security risks, and diminished performance.
In a particularly harrowing incident, a classroom collapsed during an exam at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Gassol LGA of Taraba State, trapping students and invigilators. Injured persons were rescued by members of the local community.
“This is a violation of students’ constitutional rights to dignity and to learn in a safe environment,” the NBA said. “WAEC never advertised that exams would be held in the dark. These actions amount to a breach of contract and a gross abuse of the rights of students under Sections 34 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution.”
The NBA condemned the silence of the Federal Ministry of Education, the supervisory body for both JAMB and WAEC, and demanded accountability from public officials. It also criticized both examination bodies for failing to act with responsibility and due regard for the welfare and rights of students.
NBA STATEMENT ON THE JAMB AND WAEC FIASCO“We call on the leadership of the National Assembly to set up a Joint Committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding these incidents. Those responsible must face the consequences. Failure to act will only embolden future violations,” the statement concluded.
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