WAEC Faces Backlash Over Failed Portal, Exam Crisis as Students Recall Shoddy Exam Administration
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is facing intensified public criticism after it temporarily shut down its result checker portal on Wednesday evening — a move that further agitated candidates already reeling from historically poor performances in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The shutdown, which WAEC attributed to “technical issues,” was announced via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, @waecnigeria.
“WAEC hereby informs the general public that the result checker portal @waecdirect.org is temporarily shut down due to technical issues.
However, the Council is working assiduously to ensure that candidates are able to access their results in the next 24 hours. We apologise for any inconvenience this might have caused you,” the post read.
The message did little to calm rising anger from students, parents, and education stakeholders, many of whom had taken to social media to express concerns about credibility, poor logistics, and alleged manipulation surrounding this year’s results — particularly the widespread failure in English Language.
WAEC announced on Monday that only 38.32% of the 1,969,313 candidates who took the 2025 WASSCE obtained credits and above in five core subjects, including English and Mathematics — the worst performance in the last 10 years.
On X, users flooded the platform with screenshots of results, showing strong performances in other subjects but failure in English. They questioned the integrity of the marking process and logistics, especially after the delayed English Language paper, which many candidates said took place as late as 8:00 p.m. on May 28.
Tweeting at @sikimark, Mark Imohi wrote, “It is concerning that the English exam, which was delayed at centres nationwide, is now resulting in widespread failures. If JAMB could make amends, we hope you (WAEC) will take steps to rectify the situation. It was a national disgrace.”
Another candidate, @_samad1, said, “We wrote exams at 8 pm. We were given one hour or 30 minutes to answer questions that should last two and a half hours. There was no light, and everyone was in a hurry to leave. Please rethink.”
Some hopeful candidates predicted adjustments once the portal reopened. “When the portal is reopened, you will see magic,” tweeted Daniel Ebitimi (@ebitimi_da15726).
Allegations of mass failure as a revenue strategy also gained traction. “Just like JAMB, WAEC is gambling with the future of Nigerians. If the majority of the D’s, E’s and F8’s awarded in English are rechecked, WAEC will pay dearly,” wrote @JayTrezy.
Parents expressed confusion and despair, especially when high-achieving students received inexplicable grades in English.
“My daughter got five A1 and two B2, only to get D7 in English and Physics (withheld),” tweeted @Johnway11145073.
Another user, @DEYHOT_official, shared, “WAEC, please I am begging, help us check the English Language exam again. I can’t accept this result. I struggled so hard to get money and pay for this exam, and now you failed me. This result is affecting my future.”
Some even called for a total recall of the 2025 results. “We reject this year’s results, particularly the English and Maths. WAEC, please do the needful to avoid mass protests,” tweeted @pastorbtdaniels.
@MarquizDejavex added, “Students wrote English paper in the mid night and yet WAEC failed them.”
Another commenter, @e_okwori, urged intervention from the highest levels: “The students who were robbed and given abysmal grades in English should tag presidency, Minister of education to have an external body revise the whole exam process.”
As of the time of this report, WAEC has not issued any follow-up statement regarding the widespread demand for a review of English Language results or the technical challenges with the portal.
PUNCH
