The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has launched a blistering attack on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over reports that thousands of candidates sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were forced to write examination papers late into the night, describing the development as a grave violation of students’ rights and a dangerous failure of educational administration.
The rights group warned that the recurring spectacle of candidates stranded in examination centres until 10 p.m. and beyond has become a national embarrassment and raises serious questions about the capacity of authorities to protect the welfare and safety of Nigerian children.
In a statement issued on Friday, HURIWA said the incidents amounted to more than mere logistical lapses, arguing that they exposed students to avoidable security risks, physical exhaustion and psychological distress at a time when the country is grappling with widespread insecurity.
The association expressed outrage that students, many of them minors, were allegedly compelled to remain in schools for several hours waiting for examination materials before eventually sitting for critical papers late at night.
According to the group, such conditions not only undermine academic performance but also violate the fundamental rights of children to safety, dignity and protection.
HURIWA noted that the latest incidents were particularly troubling because similar complaints had surfaced during previous examination exercises, suggesting that little or nothing had been done to address longstanding operational failures within the examination system.
“It is unacceptable that in a country battling kidnapping, violent crime and other security challenges, students are compelled to travel home late at night because of failures that should have been prevented through proper planning and coordination,” the group stated.
The organization warned that prolonged waiting periods before examinations can significantly affect candidates’ concentration, mental alertness and overall performance, thereby compromising the integrity and fairness of the examination process.
Beyond the immediate impact on students, HURIWA argued that the situation reflects deeper systemic problems within the management of public examinations in Nigeria and called for urgent intervention by the Federal Government.
The group demanded that WAEC provide a comprehensive public explanation detailing the circumstances that led to the delays and the steps being taken to ensure that similar incidents do not recur.
It also called on the Federal Ministry of Education to institute an independent investigation into the repeated logistical failures associated with the conduct of WASSCE examinations across the country.
According to HURIWA, officials found culpable of negligence or incompetence should face appropriate sanctions to serve as a deterrent.
The association further urged the National Assembly Committees on Education to summon WAEC officials and demand answers over what it described as a pattern of avoidable disruptions that continue to endanger students and undermine confidence in public examinations.
“The future of Nigerian children must never be sacrificed on the altar of administrative inefficiency,” the group declared.
The controversy has sparked growing public concern, with parents, teachers and education stakeholders questioning how an examination body responsible for millions of candidates could repeatedly find itself battling the same logistical challenges year after year.
As pressure mounts on WAEC to explain the circumstances surrounding the night examinations, the incident has reignited broader concerns about the state of Nigeria’s education system and the need for stronger safeguards to protect students during national examinations.
For many affected families, the issue goes beyond delayed examination papers. It is about the safety of children, the credibility of public institutions and whether those entrusted with shaping the future of young Nigerians are living up to that responsibility.