WAEC Acknowledges Late-Night Exam Disruptions, Promises Reforms After Parent Outcry!
Reported by Fasesan Marian opeyemi | Journalist at Sele Media Africa
LAGOS, Nigeria — The West African Examinations Council has acknowledged widespread disruptions that forced candidates to sit for examinations late into the night, triggering fresh anger among parents and education stakeholders across Nigeria. The council attributed the delays to operational challenges and logistical failures, vowing to implement corrective measures to safeguard the integrity of the examination process and the welfare of students.
The development has intensified calls for comprehensive reforms in the administration of national examinations, with critics arguing that the current system prioritises bureaucratic convenience over the educational and physical well-being of millions of African students.
Parents Raise Alarm Over Safety and Student Fatigue
Parents and guardians across several Nigerian states reported that their wards were compelled to remain in examination halls until 10 p.m. or later, far beyond the standard school day. Many took to social media and local news platforms to express outrage, citing concerns over students’ safety during late-night travel, increased fatigue, and a sharp decline in concentration levels during the extended sessions.
“My daughter was writing her paper until almost 11 p.m. She was exhausted, terrified of walking home in the dark, and could barely focus after the first hour,” said Mrs. Chidinma Obi, a parent in Lagos whose child sat for a WAEC examination last week. “This is not how we treat our children. The council must do better.”
The incidents have reignited a broader conversation about the welfare of candidates in West Africa‘s largest economy, where millions of students sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination annually. Education experts warn that prolonged examination hours undermine the very purpose of testing, as cognitive performance deteriorates significantly after sustained periods of mental exertion.
WAEC Blames Operational Challenges
In a statement issued on Thursday, WAEC acknowledged the disruptions and expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to candidates and their families. The council attributed the late-night sessions to a combination of factors, including delayed distribution of examination materials, administrative bottlenecks, and unforeseen logistical hurdles at certain centres.
“The West African Examinations Council is aware of reports of examinations extending into late hours at some centres across Nigeria,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologise to all affected candidates, parents, and schools. These delays were the result of operational challenges that we are actively addressing.”
WAEC assured stakeholders that measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence, including enhanced coordination with state ministries of education, improved scheduling of examination materials, and stricter oversight of examination centre operations. The council also reiterated its commitment to maintaining the credibility of the examination process.
Educational Angle: The Cost of Disruption on Learning Outcomes
The late-night examination trend raises serious questions about the quality of the educational experience for students across the region. Educational psychologists and child development specialists argue that extended examination hours directly contradict established principles of effective learning and assessment.
“Cognitive fatigue sets in after approximately 90 minutes of sustained mental effort. Beyond that, test performance declines sharply, and the results no longer accurately reflect a student’s knowledge or ability,” explained Dr. Adebayo Ogunleye, a Lagos-based educational psychologist. “When we force students to write exams late into the night, we are not measuring their competence; we are measuring their endurance.”
The disruption also disproportionately affects students from low-income households, many of whom lack reliable access to transportation, lighting, or a quiet space to rest and prepare for subsequent papers. Education advocates warn that such systemic failures deepen existing inequalities in the region’s education systems.
Calls for Structural Reforms Intensify
The controversy has prompted renewed demands for a fundamental overhaul of how national examinations are planned and executed. Civil society organisations, parent-teacher associations, and education unions have called for the establishment of independent oversight bodies to monitor examination administration and hold WAEC accountable for service delivery.
“We cannot continue to treat our children as afterthoughts in a system designed for administrative convenience,” said Mr. Ibrahim Suleiman, national coordinator of the Education Rights Coalition. “The late-night exams are a symptom of a deeper problem: a failure to prioritise the welfare of the learner. We need structural reforms, not just apologies.”
Some stakeholders have proposed the adoption of digital examination platforms to reduce logistical bottlenecks, while others have called for decentralised administration that gives state governments greater control over scheduling and resource allocation.
Pan-African Significance: A Regional Challenge
The WAEC examination is a cornerstone of secondary education across five English-speaking West African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia. As such, the challenges facing its administration in Nigeria have implications for the entire region.
Education ministers across West Africa have increasingly recognised the need for harmonised examination standards that prioritise student welfare without compromising academic rigour. The current controversy in Nigeria may accelerate regional discussions on best practices in examination administration.
“This is not a Nigerian problem alone; it is a West African challenge,” said Dr. Fatoumata Diallo, a regional education policy analyst based in Accra. “If the region’s largest economy cannot administer exams efficiently, it raises questions about the entire system. We need a collective response that puts the student at the centre.”
What Happens Next
WAEC has announced that it will conduct an internal review of examination centre operations across Nigeria and release a detailed report within the next 30 days. The council has also pledged to engage directly with parent associations and civil society groups to address ongoing concerns.
Meanwhile, education activists have vowed to continue monitoring examination centres and documenting incidents of late-night sessions. Several parent groups have indicated plans to file formal complaints with the National Assembly’s Committee on Education, demanding legislative oversight of WAEC operations.
For millions of candidates currently sitting for their examinations, the immediate priority remains completing their papers under safe and fair conditions. But for the broader education community, the late-night exam controversy has become a rallying point for long-overdue reforms.
SOURCES
- West African Examinations Council (WAEC) official statement, June 2026
- The Punch, “WAEC Exams Run Into Late Hours Amid Parent Protests,” June 2026
- Vanguard, “Parents Decry Late-Night WAEC Exams, Demand Action,” June 2026
- Daily Trust, “WAEC Apologises for Late-Night Examination Sessions,” June 2026
- Channels Television, “WAEC Responds to Late-Night Exam Controversy,” June 2026
- Interview with Mrs. Chidinma Obi, parent in Lagos, June 2026
- Interview with Dr. Adebayo Ogunleye, educational psychologist, June 2026
- Interview with Mr. Ibrahim Suleiman, Education Rights Coalition, June 2026
- Interview with Dr. Fatoumata Diallo, regional education policy analyst, June 2026