The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has come under intense scrutiny following the abrupt shutdown of its result checker portal on Wednesday evening, just days after releasing what many have described as the most disappointing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results in the past ten years.
WAEC, in a notice posted on its official X handle, @waecnigeria, attributed the shutdown to unspecified “technical issues,” promising that access to the portal would be restored within 24 hours.
“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,” the notice read.
But the timing of the shutdown has only fuelled suspicion and public outrage, especially coming on the heels of WAEC’s Monday announcement that only 38.32% of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the 2025 WASSCE obtained credits in five core subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. This marks the lowest pass rate recorded in over a decade.
Social Media in Uproar
The reaction from candidates, parents, and educators on social media was swift and unforgiving. Many users, especially on X (formerly Twitter), described the English Language results as deeply flawed and demanded a comprehensive review.
@Sikimark tweeted,
“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.”
Reports indicate that many students across the country wrote the English Language paper late into the night on May 28, under poor conditions and inadequate supervision. Some allege that the duration of the exam was drastically cut short, leaving candidates confused and disoriented.
“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,” wrote @_samad1.
Accusations of Manipulation and Negligence
Amid the anger, allegations of deliberate grade manipulation and financial exploitation surfaced.
“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.
@Johnway11145073, a concerned parent, said,
“My daughter got five A1s and two B2s, only to get D7 in English and Physics (withheld). How is that even possible?”
@DEYHOT_official shared a heartbreaking plea:
“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 users even called for a complete recall of the 2025 results, threatening nationwide protests if action is not taken.
“We reject this year’s results, particularly the English and Maths. WAEC, please do the needful to avoid mass protests,” warned @pastorbtdaniels.
WAEC Yet to Respond to Grading Concerns
As of Thursday morning, WAEC has not issued any further clarification regarding the English Language grading process or responded to mounting calls for a script review.
With growing pressure from both students and civil society, all eyes are now on the examination body to address the credibility concerns and restore public confidence in the WASSCE system.
