The Delta State Government has expressed strong disapproval over the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at Unity Modern School, Asaba, where students were forced to write their papers under torchlight due to a delayed start and lack of electricity.
The incident occurred on Thursday, May 23, when the scheduled 2:00 p.m. examination began four hours late, reportedly starting at 6:00 p.m. In a widely circulated video, two invigilators were seen using their phone flashlights to provide light in a dark classroom as students attempted to complete their exams.
A voice in the video lamented, “The paper that was supposed to start by 2 p.m. began at 6 p.m. No electricity in the school. So, the students are using torchlights to write WAEC exams in Unity Modern School, Asaba—the state capital, not even a village.”
The school is located less than one kilometre from the WAEC office in Asaba, intensifying public outrage over the logistical failure.
Reacting to the situation, Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, condemned the disruption, stating that such delays were unacceptable for a critical national examination.
“We are aware of the situation and already in talks with WAEC to prevent a recurrence. WAEC exams are not state-managed; they are federal. I’ve told them not to subject our students to unnecessary stress. It’s unacceptable for students to be returning home from exams at such late hours,” Ezewu said.
Human rights activist and convener of the #OperationSaveNigerianChildrenCampaign, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, described the event as a blatant violation of children’s rights and a reflection of systemic failures in Nigeria’s educational sector.
“This shameful scenario exposes the chronic mismanagement and neglect plaguing our education system, especially in Delta State,” Aghogho said. “It’s unthinkable that in 2025, children—some just 15 years old—should endure a four-hour delay and be made to write a critical exam in darkness.”
He emphasized that the incident violated multiple provisions of the Child Rights Act, 2003, and international human rights treaties, calling it an affront to the dignity and educational rights of Nigerian children.
Public reaction has been swift, with many citizens on social media condemning the failure of coordination and infrastructure. As of now, WAEC has not issued an official statement addressing the delay or the conditions under which the examination was conducted.
The Delta State Government has pledged to ensure that students do not face similar conditions going forward and has urged WAEC to review its logistics and operational standards within the state.
