The Oyo State Government has expressed concern over the delays witnessed during the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing the situation as avoidable and detrimental to the welfare of candidates across the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, said the government sympathises with students, parents and guardians affected by the disruptions caused by the late commencement of some examination papers conducted by the West African Examinations Council.
In a statement, Olayiwola expressed displeasure over the stress, anxiety and risks to which candidates were exposed due to delays in the delivery of examination materials, contrary to the official timetable released by WAEC.
According to him, reports received and subsequently verified by the government indicated that question papers for Government (Objective) and Agricultural Science (Practical), scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2026, did not arrive at several examination centres in Oyo State on time.
He disclosed that the examination materials reportedly reached many centres at about 6:30 p.m., making it impossible for candidates to sit the examinations as scheduled and subjecting them to unnecessary hardship.
The commissioner further revealed that as of 8:11 p.m. on the same day, some examination centres in Ogbomoso and Saki were still conducting the Government (Objective) paper, while the Agricultural Science Practical examination had yet to begin.
Olayiwola also recalled a similar incident on June 3, when Mathematics (Objective) question papers were reportedly supplied in insufficient quantities to several centres, resulting in delays that extended examination activities late into the night.
He said officials of the ministry contacted the WAEC Zonal Coordinator over the development, adding that the examination body attributed the delays to logistical challenges.
While noting that WAEC is an international examination body beyond the direct control of the state government, the commissioner urged the council to take immediate and proactive steps to prevent a recurrence.
He specifically called on WAEC to consider rescheduling any examination paper that cannot be delivered to centres on or before 4:00 p.m. on the day of the examination.
According to him, such a measure would help protect candidates from undue stress, safeguard their wellbeing and reduce anxiety among parents, guardians and other stakeholders.
The Oyo State Government reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare, safety and academic success of students, assuring residents that it would continue to engage relevant stakeholders to ensure a conducive environment for learning and assessment across the state.
