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Reps probe WAEC over midnight examinations
The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies, has said it will unravel the causes of conduct of the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination ( WASSCE) at midnight in different parts of the country.
The chairman of the committee, Oboku Oforji, stated this at a session with officials of the West African Examination Council ( WAEC), on Friday, in Abuja.
Oforji, who apologized to Nigerians over the reported conduct of WASSCE at midnight in some parte of the country, said parents deserve an clear explanation why the safety of their children was compromised.
According to him, “in Jalingo, for instance, it was reported that exams began at around 12:00 a.m. This is unacceptable. The emotional trauma inflicted on these students is unimaginable. As stakeholders, we have a duty of care to the public and must ensure such occurrences are never repeated.”
However, WAEC Senior Assistant Registrar and Zonal Coordinator, Ambrose Okelezo, while speaking at the investigative hearing, said the Head of examination body, in Nigeria, Amos Dangut, was absent from the session because of an emergency engagement.
Consequently, Okelezo appealed to the lawmakers to reschedule his appearance for Monday, so that h can address the issue raised.
Regardless, lawmakers frowned at the absence of Dangut, with Awaji-Inombek Abiante stating that the WAEC leadership is not in a place to dictate for the parliament .
Abiante said “he just admitted he’s not competent to address us. Then why is he still here?”, adding that “In my village, where there is no electricity, students were forced to write exams at 12 a.m. and 1 a.m., calling me in distress. Exam papers were reportedly left in a keke [tricycle] used to carry passengers. This is disgraceful.”
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