The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has launched an investigation into the reported leakage of examination questions in the ongoing 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The probe, according to sources, follows the circulation of the English Language paper four days before the scheduled exam date, a breach that has led to logistical disruption and public backlash. Some WAEC officials are suspected of being involved in the leak, while the police have reportedly opened a parallel investigation.
The English Language paper, initially slated for May 28, was leaked and widely circulated online, forcing WAEC to reprint question papers and reschedule exams in many centres. This led to chaotic scenes in states like Lagos, Ogun, Taraba, and Osun, where candidates reportedly sat the paper as late as midnight, many relying on torchlights and lanterns due to power outages.
Videos shared on social media showed exhausted students taking exams in the dark, prompting public outrage.
In a statement on Thursday, WAEC’s Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, apologised for the delays, blaming the incident on malpractice and security concerns.
“The measures taken to prevent paper leakage inadvertently impacted the timeliness and seamless conduct of the examination,” she said, citing logistical and socio-cultural issues.
According to WAEC, over 1.9 million candidates registered for the exam across 23,554 schools in Nigeria.
WAEC Staff Worked Round-the-Clock to Manage Crisis
Insiders revealed to The PUNCH that WAEC was alerted by a concerned individual after the leak, prompting a rush to reprint and redistribute question papers. Staff in locations like Ikorodu, Lagos, reportedly worked for 48 hours straight to manage the crisis.
“Everybody was under pressure,” a WAEC staffer told Sunday PUNCH. “Some had to travel to the printers to pack and code the question papers.”
Sources also confirmed that “exam run” syndicates had already monetised the leak, charging students between N1,000 and N5,000 for access to the questions via WhatsApp and Telegram groups. One such platform reportedly had over 80,000 subscribers, potentially raking in millions of naira.
Platforms and Channels Under Scrutiny
Leaked questions for other subjects, including Geography, Physics, and Literature, were also sighted on platforms like Free WAEC Exam Infos, WAEC NECO IJMB Students Connect, and WAEC GCE NECO Expo.
Some platforms openly advertised prices for questions with posts such as: “For English and Mathematics, N1,500 compulsory. It will be dropping at midnight with full essay and objectives.”
WAEC is said to be tracking financial transactions and working with security agencies to identify operators of these rogue platforms.
Parents, Candidates Demand Cancellation of English Paper
In response to the late-night exams and allegations of widespread leaks, the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) demanded that WAEC cancel the English Language paper and schedule a re-sit.
“WAEC should sanitise itself and stop punishing our children for the inadequacies of its staff,” said Ademola Ekundayo, the group’s National Publicity Secretary.
Parents across states described the experience as mentally exhausting for candidates.
One parent, Ajayi Ademola, whose daughter wrote the exam in Osogbo, Osun State, said: “It was disturbing when she hadn’t returned by 7pm. She got home at 11pm and couldn’t even revise for the next day’s paper. WAEC is not being fair.”
Another, Dele Ajewole, said his daughter’s exam didn’t start until 7:35 p.m., and most students were too fatigued to focus.
Candidates also shared similar sentiments. Olamide Adefowope described the experience as stressful and demoralising: “I just managed to answer the questions and left. We were too tired to think straight.”
Fatima Yusuf, another student in Lagos, called for a total cancellation of the paper: “It was unfair and disheartening. WAEC needs to take integrity seriously.”
Education Stakeholders Push for CBT Exams
Amid the fallout, stakeholders have renewed calls for Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for secondary school exams.
The President of ANCOPPS, Mallam Musa Ibrahim, noted: “If WAEC goes paperless, rogue websites and miracle centres will go out of business.”
Yomi Otubela, President of NAPPS, called for a fact-finding committee to review the incident before deciding on a re-sit.
Otubela said; “If the facts align with what’s circulating, then a re-sit becomes necessary.”
Dr Olusola Thomas, a senior lecturer at UNILAG, echoed the call for further scrutiny: “We don’t have a complete picture yet. But this needs to be revisited, especially if students’ mental health and exam integrity were compromised.”
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