Nightfall Injustice: The WAEC English Exam and the Erosion of Nigeria’s Right to Equitable Education
Introduction
The recent West African Examinations Council (WAEC) English exam debacle, marked by students in rural areas writing as late as 11:30 p.m. by torchlight, highlights a disturbing departure from the basic tenets of equitable education. It is not merely a logistical misstep; it’s a violation of the right to a fair and accessible education, guaranteed under both Nigeria’s legal frameworks and international human rights norms.
Unequal Conditions: A National Breakdown
- Extreme Timing Disparities
In urban zones, candidates took their exams by early afternoon and returned home in peace. Yet in rural communities, poor infrastructure and delayed question paper distribution meant children wrote in darkness, using candles, phone flashlights, or torchlights—well past midnight. - Institutional Apathy and Insufficient Provisions
WAEC officials, captured on video, admitted to offering no electricity, no food, and conducting no localized needs assessment, a shocking lapse when dealing with minors tasked with high-stakes exams. - Integrity Compromised
The fundamental principle of fairness crumbles when one student finishes before sunset and another starts in pitch-black darkness. - Psychological and Physical Toll
Fatigue, hunger, and anxiety are not theoretical, they suppress the cognitive capacities of young minds. WAEC’scx promise of “compensation during grading” fails to acknowledge the emotional distress and unfair disadvantage imposed.
Rights Perspective: Global Standards at Stake
Education must be available, accessible, acceptable, and adaptive, per UNESCO’s framework. The WAEC incident breaches each element:
- Equal access was denied.
- Acceptable conduct fell short of professional duty, parental trust, and student welfare.
- Adaptability, such as accommodating rural conditions, was entirely ignored.
- The whole ordeal constitutes indirect discrimination: rural students punished by system failure.
Systemic Implications: The Ripple Effect
- Public trust in national exams is weakened.
- Marginalized learners, particularly rural and underprivileged are further sidelined.
- Digital ambitions (e.g., CBT) without infrastructure risk deepening the educational chasm.
- Student-centric examinations rely heavily on equitable planning, this episode undermines the foundation of merit-based progression.
Call to Action: Reform Agenda
- Independent inquiry into timing, distribution, and condition failures.
- Uniform nationwide scheduling, with contingency plans like staggered sittings or repeat sessions.
- Basic essential provisions, lighting, food, comfortable seating—mandatory in all exam centers.
- Ethical transition to CBT, only after verifying universal access to reliable internet, power, and devices.
- Rights-respecting exam policy, aligned with domestic and international obligations.
Conclusion
The WAEC English exam crisis is not merely an administrative lapse, it’s a violation of human rights and a moral failure. The viral video of officials being questioned serves as a stark reminder: some children were left to write exams in the dark, not by fault of any student, but by the system. If Nigeria truly values fairness and equal opportunity, WAEC’s systemic reforms must begin now and must begin with compassion, equity, and accountability.
