… Parents, Teachers Raise Alarm Over Safety Of Examination Centres
…. NUT Warns Trauma May Derail Students’ Academic Performance
Nigeria’s ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), conducted by the West African Examinations Council, has come under renewed strain as escalating school abductions across parts of the country heighten fears for the safety, concentration and performance of over 1.9 million candidates.
The examinations, which began on April 21 and are scheduled to end on June 19, are being written in more than 24,000 centres nationwide amid growing anxiety triggered by unresolved mass kidnappings of pupils and teachers in Borno and Oyo States.
Stakeholders, including teachers, parents and student leaders, say the persistent attacks are already casting a psychological shadow over candidates, many of whom are struggling to focus amid fears that schools could be targeted at any time.
The crisis is deepened by two major unresolved abductions involving dozens of schoolchildren and educators, raising fresh questions about the safety of learning environments during national examinations.
In Borno State, suspected terrorists linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province reportedly attacked Government Day Secondary School and nearby primary schools in Mussa community, Askira/Uba Local Government Area, on May 16, abducting 42 pupils and students.
The victims have now spent about 19 days in captivity, with no official rescue recorded.
Similarly, in Oyo State, gunmen struck multiple schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, including Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, and two primary schools, abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers. The 46 victims have remained in captivity for about 20 days without confirmed release or rescue.
The attacks have intensified concerns among education stakeholders that insecurity may not only disrupt examination logistics but also inflict long-term psychological trauma on learners across the country.
Speaking on the development, the Principal Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ogun State chapter, Samson Oyelere, warned that the fear generated by repeated school attacks could significantly undermine candidates’ performance.
“Unabated fear, trauma and displacement directly kill focus and concentration,” he said, adding that students writing WAEC under such conditions are likely to underperform due to anxiety, sleeplessness and disrupted preparation.
Oyelere further warned that continued abductions could trigger mass school dropouts and deepen inequality in access to education, particularly in rural communities.
He called for urgent government action, including deployment of trained security personnel to schools, establishment of rapid response units, and provision of psychosocial support for affected students.
Also speaking, the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Akinteye Afeez, said while examinations should continue, urgent security reinforcement was necessary to protect candidates.
“We feel WAEC examinations should still go on, but governments must ensure adequate security around schools,” he said.
Afeez warned that persistent attacks on schools could erode public confidence in the education system and push more students toward safer urban centres, widening educational inequality.
He also disclosed that NANS officials were engaging authorities in Oyo State toward securing the release of abducted students.
NANS National Treasurer, Comrade Idris Asmau, expressed concern over the safety of candidates currently sitting for the examinations, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“There is a need for proper security, and government should prioritise the lives of these children before examinations,” she said.
Asmau warned that prolonged insecurity could weaken the teaching profession, as educators may begin to avoid high-risk areas or seek opportunities abroad.
Parents have also voiced concern. Mrs Theresa Christopher, whose daughter is writing the examination in Benue State, said the psychological burden of insecurity affects even students in relatively safe areas.
“Even students not directly affected will still be afraid. That pressure alone can affect their performance,” she said.
The President of the NANS Senate, Comrade Moses Ibeabuchi, echoed similar concerns, warning that widespread insecurity creates a climate of fear that follows candidates into examination halls.
“When students know schools are being attacked across the country, they become unsettled. That fear alone can affect performance,” he said.
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