WAEC Bars 574 Schools from Conducting 2025 WASSCE Over Exam Malpractice
LAGOS, Nigeria — The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has revoked the licences of 574 secondary schools across Nigeria, barring them from serving as examination centres for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) due to confirmed cases of examination malpractice12457. The decision, announced by WAEC’s Head of National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, comes as nearly two million candidates prepare to sit for the exams beginning Thursday, April 24, 20251234567.
Details of the Sanction
Dr. Dangut disclosed at a press briefing in Lagos that the affected schools were found guilty of various forms of misconduct during previous examinations, prompting the council to withdraw their recognition as exam centres12457. “These schools had their licences revoked due to misconduct during previous examinations. As far as WAEC is concerned, these schools no longer exist for the purpose of conducting our exams,” Dangut stated5.
WAEC has forwarded the list of delisted schools to the Federal Ministry of Education and other relevant authorities to ensure enforcement and prevent any attempt at backdoor participation15. The council emphasized that sanctions will be upheld by all examining bodies, ensuring that schools penalized for malpractice cannot conduct exams under any other examination body’s jurisdiction245.
2025 WASSCE: Record Registration and New Measures
Despite the ban, WAEC confirmed that preparations for the 2025 WASSCE are on track. A total of 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 schools have registered for the examination, with a near-equal gender split: 979,228 males and 994,025 females123456. The number of registered candidates increased by 158,627 compared to the previous year246.
This year marks the introduction of the maiden Computer-Based WASSCE (CB-WASSCE) for school candidates, part of WAEC’s efforts to leverage technology and curb malpractice236. The council has also implemented a new system where no two candidates will receive the same set of questions for certain subjects, further deterring collusion and cheating246.
Zero Tolerance for Exam Fraud
WAEC reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for examination malpractice, warning that both schools and individuals found culpable will face severe sanctions1234567. Dr. Dangut urged parents, teachers, and school officials to discourage malpractice and support efforts to uphold the integrity of the examination process36.
He also warned against patronizing rogue websites and emphasized that all stakeholders must work together to ensure that students succeed on merit, not through cheating3. WAEC assured candidates and the public that results will be released 45 days after the last paper, and certificates will be issued within 90 days34.
Exam Schedule and Security
The 2025 WASSCE will run from April 24 to June 20, covering 74 subjects and 196 papers, with over 26,000 senior secondary school teachers serving as supervisors nationwide346. WAEC is collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force and state governments to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the exams, particularly in areas previously affected by security challenges36.
