Nigerians React To FG's Withdrawal From The 2020 WAEC Examination

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020, the Federal Government changed its earlier position and announced that Nigerian students will not participate in this year’s WAEC examination scheduled to start on August 4, 2020, due to fears of Coronavirus.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, revealed this to journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.

There’s an EDUCATION UPDATE: Minister of Education has just announced that schools under control of the Federal Govt will NOT be reopening for the forthcoming WAEC Exams. Says WAEC should suspend exams, and urges State Govts to toe FG line. “This is not the right time to reopen.”
— Tolu Ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) July 8, 2020

Schools across the country have been closed since March in a bid to contain the spread of the virus, and according to the minister, they will remain closed for as long as necessary. This means that final year students in secondary schools will have to wait until next year to write their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The minister added that he would prefer that students lose an academic year than risking their lives.

While the minister is cool with this, a lot of people aren’t. The House of Representatives, through the Basic Education and Services has kicked against it and urged the Federal Government to reverse this decision.

Also, a former Vice President of the country, Atiku Abubakar is clear on his position. In a Twitter thread, he disapproved of the decision to withdraw from the 2020 WAEC examination. According to him, cancelling the exams puts Nigeria at more risk.

WAEC Cancellation Puts Nigeria At More Risk.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) July 10, 2020

Of course, Nigerians have joined the conversation on Twitter. Here are some of the reactions trailing the decision:

1. This Person is not here to play

They'll miss WAEC this year because of your unpreparedness, next year WAEC will generate billions from this same set of students.

Only a man with WAEC result can feel what's like to miss WAEC exam and wait for a year.
— ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) July 10, 2020

2. Oh well

Nigerian secondary school students will skip WAEC but elections will go on in Ondo State and Edo State!

Who are we?
— Olóyè T.D Esq (@BolanleCole) July 10, 2020

3. Uhm…

Open Churches, Open Mosques but shut schools and cancel WAEC. This is how Buhari lived his entire life. Now he's making us live it
— Babasola Kuti 🇬🇧 🇳🇬 (@RealSolaKuti) July 10, 2020

4. Lots of questions

Nigeria has reportedly been spending N679m daily on school feeding eventhough schools are closed.

But this same govt has cancelled 2020 WAEC because of the cost of conducting the exam in a spacious and healthy environment.

What's really going on?#RevolutionNow
— Tope Akinyode (@TopeAkinyode) July 10, 2020

5. Some suggestions here

https://twitter.com/Mazigburugburu1/status/1281703806867255302

6. This is tricky

WAEC can actually hold if they are sincere enough. Except maths and English and maybe one or two others subjects that are general, all the students wontt write their exam same day and time. Since other students won't be in school, the whole school can be used for spacing purposes
— ʤeɪmz 💙 (@dexterousJames) July 11, 2020

7. That one person

https://twitter.com/MakyDebbie_/status/1280939108156801025

8. LMAO

Even if the graduating students do not write their SSCE in 2020, future Nigerian politicians will still use 2020 WAEC result and contest for elections. I pledge to Nigeria my country. 😂
— My Deen My Swag 💫 (@AM_Saleeeem) July 9, 2020

It is not clear if the Federal Government will reverse its decision and allow students to write the WAEC exam yet, so fingers crossed on that.

What do you think about the Federal Government’s decision? Let us know in the comments.