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WASSCE: To be or not?

By Bayo Fasunwon

The euphoria and sighs of relief that greeted the relaxation of the lockdown protocols by the Federal Government could be felt by all and sundry. Contrary to expectations, people rejoiced at the fact that they could move intra and inter-state despite the daily increase in the COVID 19 infections, coupled with high profile deaths. The way and manner people trooped out seemed that a message was being sent to government and corona that death occasioned by freedom was better than life in incarceration.
However, the most joyous amongst the ‘incarcerated’ were the transition students. Those in the final classes of the primary and secondary schools were glad that their destinies would no longer be put on hold due to the pandemic. Parents had started the preparations of their wards for the examinations, while the students themselves had began to open their discarded books. The private school operators heaved a sigh of relief, confident that some income would come in after four months of dryness. In Ondo State, the proprietors have even gone ahead to announce that they had fumigated their schools, and put in place acceptable protocols to guarantee the safety of pupils and staff. In line with the Federal Government’s position on the gradual re-opening of schools, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) had gone ahead to produce the SSCE examination timetable. All was set, but government made a u-turn.
The Federal Government, through the Minster of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, had announced to the chagrin of the expectants that schools may not re-open. In clear terms, he had frowned at the idea that WAEC had sought to dictate and impose their will on a sovereign nation, Nigeria, the giant of Africa. Furthermore, he had insinuated that Unity Schools, and in fact, the Federal Republic of Nigeria may not take part in this year’s WASSCE exams. Our dear students, some of whom had written JAMB as awaiting result students would therefore have to forgo the monies paid for that exam, lose an academic year, and wait for another time to write the compulsory examination.
That would be their sacrifice towards the curtailment of the spread of the killer virus. From the Minister’s perspective, a living dog is better than a dead Lion, and he who runs away from a fight would live to fight another day. However, many Nigerians, especially concerned parents, proprietors and students did not take kindly to this fiat and wet blanket from the government.
Many have argued, and one could concur that since COVID 19 spread had not hindered the opening of religious centers in some States, neither prevented social gathering, even at the burial of COVID 19 corpses, nor prohibited the occurrence of elections, there is no justification for the prohibitions of examinations of the ‘leaders of tomorrow’. They further, and from my perspective too, did not hinder the inter-state travels despite the rise in the COVID 19 infections statistics. The question therefore arises as to whether the Federal Government was not just being egoistic against WAEC for not consulting with them before coming up with their timetable. On the other hand, while the safety gesture of the Federal Government could be an alibi, the question arises as to the altruistic posture at this time of a government that could not adequately provide palliatives in an acceptable manner to her incarcerated populace, nor provide a nationally accepted and effective ‘sit-at-home’ education programme for her teeming knowledge hungry students. Whichever way it is, the motive of government seemed suspicious.
Just last week, yours truly gave conditions for the re-opening of schools, and also cautioned against reckless attitude towards the spread of COVID 19 infections. It is quite possible that government has considered the cost of given the students a secured and healthy environment of learning and concluded that the meager education budget cannot bear such. In other words, the country cannot as at this time make sacrifices to secure the well being of her children. It also connotes that political and social activities are of more importance than the education of her ‘leaders of tomorrow’. Another opportunity to install basic amenities in our schools has been postponed.
The implication of students not writing their examinations this year goes beyond the loss of an academic year. It implies that they would be behind their counterparts in other West African Countries, who are able to write the examinations. Examiners who would have gained experience and income would also lose out. More importantly is the fragility of the Nigeria administrative system. One would not be surprised if the loss of this opportunity translates into years of stagnancy for these ‘transition’ students. In the first place, industrial actions may hit the various education institutions before the year runs out.
In the midst of strikes, and other disintegrating issues, opportunities to write these examinations may not arise soon. Even if it does, then the population of students, materials and human power needed to write the same examination next year would have doubled. The risk of contracting diseases would therefore be higher. In the long run, many students’ academic destinies may be ruined forever. One also foresees the gradual disintegration of the unified examination body called WAEC, as nations would soon restrict their students to their national examinations. When that happens, those seeking further studies outside their country of origin would be subjected to the harrowing task of writing multiple examinations with higher costs.
In view of the above, it is advisable that all stakeholders and member States in WAEC convene a crucial meeting and agree on collaborative measures that would make the examination feasible and possible in healthy environments. To State governments, even if WAEC and National Common Entrance Examinations are put on hold, efforts should be made to make transition students in Junior Secondary 3, and Primary six write their State based unified examinations, so that they would be ready for placement in public schools for the next academic session.
All in all, COVID 19 has opened the eyes of the world to the infrastructural decay, neglect and starvation of the Nigeria’s education sector over the years. The underdevelopment of the sector at all levels is laid bare for all to see. Even the private schools that were making profits from government’s negligence of duty are also reaping from their sycophancy. Government should desist from saying that ‘it is impossible’, but rather ask, ‘how can it be possible?’ It is a common knowledge in Nigeria that delay is always dangerous so Government should make it possible for students to write their examinations in a conducive and healthy environment within this academic season.

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