The release of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results has sparked nationwide concern, as stakeholders across the education sector cite systemic failure as the root cause of the alarming decline in student performance.
According to data released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Tuesday, out of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the exam, only 754,545 — representing 38.32% — obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects including English Language and Mathematics. This marks a drastic drop from the 72.12% pass rate recorded in 2024, representing a 33.8% decline in performance.
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, confirmed the figures, sparking a wave of responses from educators, parents, and students’ groups who described the outcome as a national wake-up call.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), through its Lagos State Chairman, Comrade Akintoye Hassan, criticized the conduct of the English Language paper, which was rescheduled after it leaked. He said many students were made to remain in exam halls until evening or night, writing under poor lighting conditions, including phone torchlights due to lack of electricity in many schools.
“The students conditioned their minds to write in the morning, only to be held till late hours without food or rest. How can we expect excellent results in such conditions?” he asked.
Hassan added that it would be unfair to blame teachers alone for the poor results, noting that infrastructure, student motivation, and policy failures all played significant roles.
Echoing his concerns, Comrade Adeyemi Ajasa, National Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said the atmosphere in which some of the exams were conducted was “horrific” and emotionally draining for students. “The stress of sitting endlessly in classrooms before writing crucial papers like English left students fatigued and frustrated,” he said.
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Ajasa emphasized the need for a holistic review of the country’s education system, urging the government to urgently address the shortage of teachers, lack of adequate infrastructure, and low morale among educators.
The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) also weighed in. Its National President, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said the failure rate reflected long-standing neglect of education. He questioned the readiness of states to hire and retain qualified teachers, lamenting that many parents can no longer afford basic textbooks due to skyrocketing prices.
“What do you expect when classrooms are empty, teachers are overworked, and children are learning without the right materials?” he asked. Danjuma urged the government to prioritize education, improve school facilities, and treat teachers’ welfare as a national priority.
Some stakeholders also made concrete suggestions to mitigate future failure. For instance, Oluchi Kalu, a concerned parent from Imo State, recommended the urgent organization of mock examinations to help students recover from the psychological impact of the exam ordeal and better prepare for future assessments.
As the nation reflects on what appears to be a clear breakdown in education delivery, the consensus remains: without immediate intervention — from infrastructure upgrades to teacher recruitment and student support — Nigeria’s educational future could be at risk.