The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has attributed the delay in the administration of the 2025 English Language paper to its heightened efforts to prevent examination malpractice.
In a statement on Thursday, the examination body acknowledged the disruption experienced by candidates during the conduct of Paper 2 of the English Language examination.
The 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates commenced on April 24 and is scheduled to conclude on June 20, 2025.
The 2025 WASSCE English paper was scheduled for May 28, but was held hours behind schedule in several centres across the country.
This resulted in late-night papers, with many students across the country groaning from waiting too long.
WAEC said its focus on curbing question paper leakage unintentionally led to logistical setbacks and delayed the smooth running of the paper.
“While we succeeded in safeguarding the examination materials, this inadvertently affected the timeliness and smooth execution of the process,” WAEC’s spokesperson Moyosola Adesina told TheCable.
The examination body also cited other contributing factors, including logistical challenges, security concerns, and sociocultural issues.
It noted that it is working closely with security agencies to ensure that such delays do not recur in the future.
WAEC apologised to students, schools, and parents for the inconvenience caused by the disruption and thanked all stakeholders for their understanding during what it described as a “challenging period”.
The council reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the integrity of its exams and promoting academic excellence across the region.
“We understand the importance of conducting examinations on schedule, and recognise the impacts delays have on candidates, their schools, and their families,” Adesina added.
