Delta: NAPS condemns WAEC exam incident

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has condemned what it described as a national disgrace following reports that students sat for a WAEC examination at night, using torchlights, in Asaba, Delta State.

In a statement issued by its President, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, the association expressed shock over the incident, saying:

“On the evening of 22nd May 2025, at Unity Modern School, Asaba, Delta State, the situation descended into both literal and metaphorical darkness when a paper scheduled for 2:00 p.m. was scandalously delayed until 6:00 p.m., forcing students to write their WAEC examination late into the night, illuminated only by the flicker of torchlights.”

The statement continued:

“This grotesque distortion of protocol is not merely a logistical lapse. It is a national disgrace, a moral calamity, and a betrayal of the promise we owe our youth.

What should have been a moment of academic dignity was turned into a nightmare. Like planting seeds in the dead of night and expecting them to flourish, the system has once again demanded excellence from students while depriving them of the environment necessary to succeed.

This is not just a failure. It is sabotage.”

Comrade Oghayan declared:

“As President of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), I speak with the thunderous voice of over 28.1 million Nigerian polytechnic students.

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This is not a matter we shall treat lightly. No—we refuse to remain silent while the destinies of Nigerian students are jeopardised by carelessness, insensitivity, and institutional decay.

In an era where insecurity looms across the country, what rationale exists for compelling students—mostly minors—to remain in examination centres late into the night?

WAEC must be held accountable. Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, the Head of WAEC Nigeria, must explain to Nigerians why this academic atrocity was allowed to occur under his watch. His continued silence speaks volumes and reeks of disregard.”

The statement emphasised that the issue transcends Asaba:

“If it can happen there, it can happen in Enugu, Sokoto, Jos, Ibadan, or Yenagoa. It signals a collapsing standard. And when injustice becomes the norm, resistance becomes the mandate of the people.

As the African proverb goes:
‘The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.’

WAEC, beware. Our students are not kindling wood.”

NAPS warned that if any of the affected students fails the paper due to the “abnormal and inhumane conditions” under which it was written, the association would not hesitate to mobilise a nationwide protest.

“We will not allow innocent students to suffer for the negligence of others,” the statement stressed.

To this end, NAPS demanded an immediate and public explanation from Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, Head of WAEC Nigeria, as well as a full investigation by the Federal Ministry of Education into the circumstances surrounding the breakdown.

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