Officials of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) reportedly conducted the English Language papers I and II of the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) late at night in some states. Weekend Hope Speaks with Stakeholders on the Issue.
Excerpts:
By Joshua Babatunde, Faith Adeosun, Ehinmowo Heritage, Charity Michael, Segun Adeyemi
Mathew Ilesanmi
It is really good. Education is truly important as it is all about the acquisition of knowledge. Since knowledge is priceless, a late night examination is nothing, it is just a price to be paid.
Mabel Falade
I honestly feel like it does not make sense.
It is not ideal especially in a society like ours where we believe the human brain functions better in the morning. Asking someone who has stayed up overnight to prepare for an afternoon exam and then made to write it at night, is unreasonable.
Also using lamps and candles during an exam would easily demoralise students.
As someone who gets easily distracted I would find the lights quite disruptive, especially when they are being moved around to reach every student in the hall.
The entire examination conduct is not ideal, especially when it comes to mental health.
But sadly, I feel like situations like this can not be helped in Nigeria.
Onaolapo Praise
A night exam is one of the worst decisions ever, it clearly paves the way for examination malpractice.
Let’s consider the students’ mental health and well-being. Research shows how best to maximise our day, we have 24 hours including night-time for rest.
Writing exams late at night will negatively impact students’ mental health.
How will they be able to recall everything they have studied when they are supposed to be sleeping and preparing for the next day?
Oluwabunkunmi Ojo
Examinations held late at night can create serious issues.
For example, a student who finishes his or her paper at 10 P.M will struggle to get home safely especially in areas with poor transportation or security. This could put his or her safety and well-being at risk.
Oluwajuwon Olarinmoye
The late-night WAEC examination is not only detrimental to the system, but also potentially unsafe for students.
It compromises WAEC’s credibility as malpractice would become harder to prevent, thereby distorting the integrity of students’ grades.
Night exams also expose students to security risks. We know most criminal activities occur at night, so safety becomes uncertain.
Daytime exams are ideal. They allow better focus, clearer thinking, improved security and reduce chances of misconduct
Scheduling WAEC exams at night fosters panic giving students less time and peace to attempt their questions properly.
Agu Amak
I will say no. It is simply not ideal. It is completely abnormal to conduct an entire West African examination paper at night.
It is unsafe for both the students and the country at large.
Given the current insecurity, students could be kidnapped or harmed. Imagine a student who had only one meal at home, planning to return in the afternoon to eat but gets delayed until night for an exam that could have been postponed.
Moreover such late-night settings create opportunities for cheating as it is harder to monitor students properly.
WAEC must reorganise itself in every area to make our education system better.
Erinomo Favour Oluwatomiwa
The delay in the exam was not intentional. It was likely caused by unforeseen social or security issues.
Considering that students had completed other exams without problems postponing this one to the next day might not have been practical.
So while allowing students to write the paper at a late hour might have been the most viable option it is still not ideal.
An apology should also be made to parents and other stakeholders.
Wemimo Emmanuella
The delay only affected certain areas where exam papers did not arrive on time.
There was nothing of such in Ondo State to be precise. I believe the WAEC officials should apologise to any students affected by the situation.
Elijah Ofeni
It is generally not okay to conduct examinations at night. Exams should be held during the day to ensure alertness and reduce stress.
The disadvantages of night exams include, increased stress and anxiety, sleep deprivation worsened exam-related pressure. There may also be logistical challenges, as students may struggle to get to the venue or access needed materials at night. Reduced mental performance, poor night-time alertness and memory recall may also be critical issues.