By Huldah Shado
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has come under intense public scrutiny following the temporary shutdown of its result checker portal on Wednesday evening, citing “technical issues.”
The announcement, made via WAEC’s official X handle (@waecnigeria), triggered outrage and renewed concerns over the examination body’s credibility.
The backlash comes on the heels of widespread disappointment over the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), results, particularly in English Language.
Only 38.32% of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the exam obtained credits and above in five subjects, including English and Mathematics, marking the lowest performance in a decade.
In a statement, WAEC said it was “working assiduously to ensure that candidates are able to access their results within the next 24 hours” and apologized for the inconvenience.
However, candidates and concerned citizens are blaming WAEC for alleged logistics failures, most notably the delay in the conduct of the English Language paper on May 28, which reportedly ran into late-night hours at several centers.
On social media, users have shared screenshots showing strong performances in other subjects but failing grades in English, fueling calls for a comprehensive review of English Language scripts.
Critics say the timing of the portal shutdown has further damaged public trust, with many questioning WAEC’s capacity to conduct credible and efficient examinations.
