“450-word essays written at 10:30 pm under rain, with candidates swatting mosquitoes… How did we arrive here?” lamented a parent on the CPE platform.
LAGOS — Strong reactions have trailed the mass failure in the 2025 WASSCE, with only 38.32% of candidates obtaining credit passes in English and Mathematics.
Parents, educators, and school owners have described the outcome as a national embarrassment and blamed it on poor exam conditions and systemic failure.
The Concerned Parents and Educators Network (CPE) and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) called for an investigation and the cancellation of the English Language paper, citing reports of students writing exams at night under torchlight and mosquito-infested classrooms.
“450-word essays written at 10:30 pm under rain, with candidates swatting mosquitoes… How did we arrive here?” lamented a parent on the CPE platform.
NAPPS President Yomi Otubela said on Channels TV: “Conducting exams at night with candles and torchlights is unacceptable and detrimental to student performance.”
WAEC, meanwhile, defended its efforts to curb malpractice through serialisation of question papers.
Education stakeholders cited underfunding, poor teacher welfare, and lack of learning resources as root causes.
The National Parent Teacher Association warned that unless urgent reforms are implemented, student outcomes will continue to decline.
In 2024, over 72% passed both subjects. This year’s 38.32% marks the lowest in 15 years.