The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Wednesday delayed the commencement of the English Language Paper 1 examination in several parts of the country following reports of a question leak.
Originally scheduled for the morning, the English Essay paper was postponed and eventually held in the evening. In contrast, the Multiple Choice section of the English examination proceeded as planned earlier in the day.
The Essay paper, typically a two-hour examination, began around 6:00 p.m. and concluded by 7:30 p.m.
The sudden change left many students, parents, teachers, and examination supervisors unsettled. Speaking anonymously, several expressed concern over the psychological impact on students, citing disorientation and added stress due to the unexpected delay and late start time.
Commenting on the development, the National Secretary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Dr. Kayode Adeyemi, attributed the delay to logistics challenges on WAEC’s part.
“WAEC had a problem with logistics, and that accounted for the delay. But the examination eventually started, though behind schedule,” Dr. Adeyemi explained.
He added that while schools with reliable electricity supply could manage the evening schedule, those without alternative power sources faced challenges as daylight faded.