WAEC Faces Historic Blowback as 2025 Results Spark Panic and Protest
By IDNN Education & Public Accountability Desk
In what has become the worst public education credibility crisis in years, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is under fire after releasing the 2025 WASSCE results — with only 38.32% of candidates obtaining credit passes in five subjects including English and Mathematics.
The result is the lowest pass rate recorded in over a decade, prompting an avalanche of criticism across social media, school boards, and parent associations nationwide.
English Language Scores Under Scrutiny
At the centre of the storm is the English Language paper, where many high-performing students recorded D7s, E8s, or outright F9s, despite stellar grades in other subjects.
“My daughter got five A1s and two B2s — but scored D7 in English? How?” one parent wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Delayed Exams, Chaotic Centres — The May 28 Debacle
Many candidates traced the English failure pattern to the disorganised conduct of the English exam, which in some centres began as late as 8PM, often in poorly lit rooms.
“We wrote English at night. No lights. No invigilators on time. We were rushed,” a student posted on @_samad1.
Others reported that their centres gave 30 to 60 minutes for a paper that typically takes 2 hours and 30 minutes.
WAEC Portal Crashes as Students Seek Answers
To make matters worse, shortly after the result announcement, WAEC’s official result checker portal, waecdirect.org, went offline due to what officials called “technical issues.”
In a short statement, WAEC said:
“The result checker portal is temporarily shut down due to technical issues. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
But for many Nigerians, that explanation fell flat.
“WAEC has lost it. What kind of institution releases the worst result in years and then disappears?” tweeted @sikimark.
Speculation of Mass Grading Errors — Or Worse
Amid the outrage, candidates began sharing screenshots showing straight A’s in core science or commercial subjects — and mysterious F9 or ‘Withheld’ statuses in English.
Some allege that scripts may have been lost, marked under poor conditions, or algorithmically graded without adequate human review.
Call for Full Review — Or Total Recall
Parents and education activists are now pushing for:
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External audit of English Language grading
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Compensation or regrading for affected students
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Complete recall of the 2025 English Language results
“Just like JAMB had to recall scores, WAEC must face the music,” wrote @pastorbtdaniels.
WAEC’s Silence is Growing Louder
As at the time of this report, WAEC has yet to publicly address the exam timing chaos, grading structure, or grievances about withheld scores.
“We are watching. This is not just failure. It’s sabotage,” said one student group on Telegram.
Graphic Caption:
Students and parents demand a full-scale review of WAEC’s 2025 English Language results following historic failure rates, delayed exams, and portal crashes.
Footnote:
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