The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expresses profound concern and outrage over reports that candidates sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) are once again being compelled to write examinations late into the night due to administrative failures and logistical lapses by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The disturbing reports that students in several examination centres across Nigeria were forced to remain in schools until 10 p.m. and beyond to write crucial examination papers amount to a grave violation of the rights and welfare of Nigerian children.
HURIWA recalls that similar incidents occurred during previous examination exercises, raising serious questions about whether any lessons were learned or corrective measures implemented by the examination body.
It is unacceptable that thousands of young Nigerians, many of whom are minors, are subjected to avoidable physical stress, psychological trauma, insecurity and health risks because of institutional inefficiency.
The right to education does not exist in isolation from other fundamental rights. Every Nigerian child has a right to dignity, security and protection from circumstances that expose them to danger. Forcing students to sit for examinations at night, often after waiting for several hours without certainty, places them at considerable risk and undermines the integrity of the examination process.
The safety implications are particularly troubling. Nigeria is currently battling widespread insecurity, including kidnapping, violent crime and other threats. It is therefore irresponsible and reckless for any institution to create conditions that compel students, teachers and parents to travel late at night after examination exercises.
Beyond the security concerns, educational experts have consistently maintained that prolonged waiting periods and mental exhaustion negatively affect students’ concentration, performance and overall well-being. A candidate who arrives at a centre prepared to write an examination in the afternoon but is compelled to sit for the same paper several hours later cannot reasonably be expected to perform at his or her optimum level.
HURIWA therefore calls on WAEC to immediately provide a comprehensive public explanation regarding the circumstances that led to these recurring delays and to outline concrete measures being implemented to prevent future occurrences.
The Federal Ministry of Education must also institute an independent inquiry into the repeated logistical failures associated with the conduct of WASSCE examinations in Nigeria. Where negligence or incompetence is established, appropriate sanctions should be imposed.
Furthermore, HURIWA urges the National Assembly Committees on Education to summon relevant officials of WAEC to explain why Nigerian students continue to experience avoidable disruptions that compromise both their safety and academic performance.
The future of Nigerian children must never be sacrificed on the altar of administrative inefficiency. Educational institutions exist to support and protect students, not to expose them to unnecessary hardship and danger.
HURIWA stands firmly with parents, teachers and students who have demanded accountability and immediate reforms in the conduct of public examinations across the country.
Signed:
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko National CoordinatorHuman Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
June 5, 2026
