The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has rejected a delegation of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), as it insisted that its Nigeria’s Head of National Office must appear in person.
The Committee had invited the examination body over reported issues with the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), summon WAEC failed to honour on Thursday, after which the committee issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the examination body to comply.
But at the resumed hearing on Friday, leading the WAEC delegation was Senior Assistant Registrar and Zonal Coordinator, Ambrose Okelezo, who explained that the Head of National Office was unavailable as he was supervising the printing of examination materials an exercise he explained would be concluded on Saturday.
The Chairman of the committee, Oforji Oboku, however, expressed dissatisfaction with WAEC, even as he apologised to parents and Nigerians for what he termed “unpalatable and embarrassing incidents” experienced during the ongoing examination.
“In Jalingo, it was recorded that the examination started at about midnight. Unfortunately, these incidents happened; the emotional trauma these children went through can best be imagined. As stakeholders, we owe the public a duty of care, and we must not leave any stone unturned to prevent a future occurrence.
“However, this Committee demands to know the immediate and remote causes of this anomaly, which is why this invitation is urgent. Parents and Nigerians need to know why their children’s lives were endangered.
“It is expected that WAEC as a body lives up to its responsibility of organising these examinations with high standards, diligence and proper duty of care,” he said.