Education stakeholders, including educationists and parents, have expressed deep concern over the poor performance of students in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), following the release of results by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Monday.
Figures released by WAEC show that only 754,545 candidates, representing 38.32% of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the examination, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
This marks a sharp 33.8% drop in performance compared to 72.12% recorded in 2024, raising fresh concerns about the quality of learning in Nigeria’s secondary schools.
The Head of Nigeria’s Office (HNO) of WAEC, Amos Dangut, who announced the results at a media briefing in Lagos, described the performance as a wake-up call for all players in the education sector.
“This year’s result shows a significant decline compared to last year. It is important for stakeholders to address the root causes of this drop in performance,” Dangut said.
According to WAEC, results of 192,089 candidates—representing 9.75% of the total number of candidates—were withheld over reported cases of examination malpractice. The figure is a 2.17% decrease compared to 11.92% recorded in 2024.
A total of 1,973,365 candidates registered for the examination from 23,554 recognised secondary schools nationwide, but 1,969,313 candidates eventually sat for the papers.
Parents and educationists have blamed multiple factors for the decline, ranging from inadequate teaching resources and overcrowded classrooms to poor study habits and the lingering effects of economic hardship on families.
Mrs. Kemi Olawale, a parent in Lagos, described the results as “a national embarrassment,” urging both the government and schools to “return to the basics of teaching and learning.”
Education analyst, Mallam Sani Garba, called for urgent reforms in curriculum delivery, teacher motivation, and student assessment.
“We cannot continue to allow mass failure to become the norm. A coordinated intervention is needed to reverse this disturbing trend,” Garba said.
The 2025 WASSCE results are expected to trigger fresh debates on the state of Nigeria’s education system, with calls for policy reviews and increased investment in teaching quality.
