Nigeria’s education sector has been thrown into deep reflection following the release of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, which have been described by stakeholders as the worst in five years.
According to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), only 754,545 out of 1,969,313 candidates — representing 38.32% — obtained five credits including English Language and Mathematics, a significant drop from 72.12% recorded in 2024.
The Head of WAEC National Office, Amos Dangut, who disclosed the figures during a press conference in Lagos, admitted the sharp decline and attributed it largely to the adoption of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) and a new serialisation approach that disrupted patterns of malpractice previously exploited by candidates.
“We deployed the serialisation approach in core subjects to deter collusion,” Dangut said. “Unfortunately, some candidates still copied from peers with different question versions, leading to failure.”
This year’s examination saw a blend of CBT and traditional Paper-Based Testing (PBT), with some schools ill-equipped for the transition. Stakeholders say this uneven deployment exposed deep inequalities in the system — especially affecting students in rural areas with little or no computer access.
WAEC also confirmed that 9.75% of results were withheld over suspected malpractice — slightly down from 11.92% last year. Special-needs students were adequately accommodated, with over 12,000 candidates receiving tailored support.