Yesterday, there was tension and confusion across many WAEC exam centres in Nigeria following the leakage of the English Language paper in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination, which prompted the examination body, WAEC to quickly set new exam questions.
As a result, candidates sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) faced hours-long delays in writing the English Language paper.
Investigations carried out by Podium Reporters reveal that the three parts of the English language paper (Paper 1, 2 and 3) were already leaked and in circulation on Tuesday night, the eve of the date for the English language papers, which took place on Wednesday (yesterday).
Students who had access to the leaked papers, especially those writing their exams in the so-called “miracle centers” began to scramble for the answers ahead of the exam. Below are the leaked English language papers obtained by Podium Reporters:
The leaked papers meant students had to wait for long before the exams eventually commenced as WAEC scrambled to reset the questions and distribute them to examination centers across the country. At many centers, the exam, which was scheduled to begin at 9:00 am, did not commence until later in the afternoon.
Some centers were only able to finish their exams just before dusk with other centers having to write their exams until late in the night.
In a statement by WAEC addressing the incident, the exam body apologised to candidates, parents, and schools for the disruptions.
Moyosola Adesina, WAEC’s Acting Head of Public Affairs, said the disruption was a result of intensified security efforts to prevent question leakage.
“While we successfully maintained the integrity of the examination, it impacted the timeliness and seamless conduct of the English Language paper,” she stated.
“We recognise the importance of timely conduct of examinations and the impact of this decision on candidates, their schools and parents, and we sincerely apologise for any inconveniences caused.
“In spite of our best efforts, we encountered logistical hurdles, security concerns and socio-cultural factors that negatively influenced our operations,” the statement explained.