Nearly two million final-year secondary school students across Nigeria are set to begin the 2025 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on Thursday, April 24.
According to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), a total of 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 public and private secondary schools will sit for the exams this year. The gender distribution is nearly equal: 979,228 males (49.63%) and 994,025 females (50.37%), reflecting an increase of over 158,000 students compared to last year.
The exams will span 74 subjects and last eight weeks and one day, with results expected 45 days after the final paper. Students can collect their certificates free of charge from their schools 90 days after results are released.
However, WAEC has barred 574 schools from participating this year due to confirmed cases of malpractice during the previous exam cycle.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of National Office at WAEC Nigeria, assured that the council is fully prepared to conduct the exams smoothly across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, including regions with security challenges.
WAEC has collaborated with the Nigeria Police Force and other security bodies to ensure safety throughout the exam period. “These agencies have assured WAEC of their readiness,” Dangut stated.
He issued a firm warning against any form of cheating or misconduct, urging candidates, parents, teachers, and school administrators to stay clear of malpractice.
“That is also why any candidate who chooses to write a paper other than the one assigned to him or her will be doing a disservice to themselves and will bear the consequences,” he stressed.
WAEC also reminded candidates that all questions will be set strictly according to the official syllabi, and that questions won’t follow identical formats. Students are encouraged to study diligently and access the past questions and marking schemes available online to aid their preparation.
Dangut rounded off by wishing all candidates success, expressing confidence that with the right preparation, they will excel.
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