Education

2026 WAEC results: Official raises fresh concerns over irregularities, glitches

Published

2 months ago

August 28, 2026

2026 WAEC results: Official raises fresh concerns over irregularities, glitches

The controversy surrounding the 2026 WAEC results has intensified after an official of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) raised concerns over alleged irregularities and technical glitches linked to the examination and result-processing process.

The development has renewed questions about the credibility of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, with candidates, parents, schools and education stakeholders seeking clarification over reported discrepancies.

The concerns were reportedly raised by Olanrewaju Fadehan, Head of Examinations at the WAEC office covering Anambra State, in a video that has circulated on social media.

Fadehan reportedly highlighted concerns about possible technical challenges and irregularities, adding to complaints from some candidates and schools about unexpected grades in the recently released results.

The allegations are significant because the 2026 WASSCE comes amid WAEC’s increased adoption of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) as part of its move towards digital examinations.

The transition required schools to invest heavily in computer laboratories, internet connectivity and other infrastructure needed to support the new examination format.

Some education stakeholders have, however, raised questions about whether technical difficulties experienced during the transition could have affected some candidates.

Fadehan reportedly referred to concerns over candidates’ performances in some subjects, including Igbo, where some schools and stakeholders have questioned results that they considered unexpectedly poor.

The development has prompted renewed calls for WAEC to explain how candidates’ answers were processed, marked and standardised before the results were released.

Some schools have also expressed concern over sharp differences between candidates’ previous academic performances and the grades contained in their 2026 WAEC results.

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The concerns have particularly attracted attention where schools believe that candidates who consistently performed well during internal assessments received unexpectedly low grades in the examination.

The adoption of CBT has become a central part of the discussion, with some schools reportedly investing substantial amounts of money to prepare for the new examination system.

Some institutions reportedly spent millions of naira on computer facilities and related infrastructure ahead of the examination.

While the transition to digital testing is expected to improve examination security, efficiency and transparency, stakeholders have argued that technical challenges must not disadvantage candidates.

The latest allegations have therefore increased calls for WAEC to establish a transparent process for investigating complaints and correcting any result affected by a genuine technical or administrative error.

Some education groups have previously called for an independent review of the 2026 WAEC results, citing complaints from candidates, parents and schools.

The Initiative for School Excellence and Education Foundation had also threatened legal action over concerns about the results and demanded greater transparency from the examination body.

WAEC, however, has maintained that the examination and result-processing exercise followed established procedures.

The council has previously urged candidates, parents, schools and members of the public to disregard unverified claims circulating on social media and rely on official information.

WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, said the examination was conducted in accordance with the council’s established procedures and relevant education policies.

The examination body has also defended the integrity of its assessment processes and indicated that results are subjected to quality-control measures before publication.

The latest concerns from an examination official are nevertheless likely to increase pressure on WAEC to provide further explanations, particularly on the specific technical issues and alleged irregularities being reported.

For candidates, the issue is particularly important because WAEC results are required for admission into many Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions.

An unexpectedly low grade or an incorrect result could affect a candidate’s eligibility for admission or force them to sit for another examination.

Parents and schools are therefore calling for any legitimate complaints to be investigated promptly and for affected candidates to receive appropriate remedies where errors are established.

The controversy also highlights the challenges associated with Nigeria’s growing reliance on computer-based examinations.

Digital testing can offer significant advantages, including faster processing, stronger examination security and reduced opportunities for certain forms of malpractice. However, the system also requires reliable infrastructure, adequate technical support and effective contingency measures.

Stakeholders have consequently urged examination authorities to ensure that technical problems do not undermine candidates’ performances or the credibility of examination results.

For now, the reported irregularities remain allegations, and WAEC has not formally acknowledged that systemic failures affected the overall 2026 results.

The examination body is expected to face continued calls for clarification as affected candidates and schools seek answers to their complaints.

The outcome of any review or investigation will be closely watched by candidates, parents, schools and the wider education community, particularly as the 2026 WAEC results play an important role in determining the next academic steps of thousands of Nigerian students.

2026 WAEC results: Official raises fresh concerns over irregularities, glitches

Related Topics:glitches Irregularities WAEC results

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Cross River Seals 58 Schools in Crackdown on Unapproved Education Centres

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2026

Trends Admin

Cross Rivers Commissioner for Education, Stephen Odey

Cross River Seals 58 Schools in Crackdown on Unapproved Education Centres

The Cross River State Government has shut down 58 unapproved schools in an intensified statewide crackdown on institutions operating without the mandatory Approval to Operate (ATO), warning proprietors against reopening without official authorisation.

The enforcement exercise, being conducted by the state Ministry of Education through its Department of Quality Assurance, targets schools that have failed to meet the regulatory requirements for operating nursery, primary and secondary educational institutions.

The Commissioner for Education, Stephen Odey, said the exercise was aimed at enforcing education standards, protecting pupils and students, and ensuring that schools operate within the state’s approved regulatory framework.

The government said the inspections would continue across Cross River State’s 18 local government areas as authorities work to identify unapproved institutions and ensure compliance with existing regulations.

Odey warned that schools sealed during the operation must not resume activities until they have obtained the necessary approval from the relevant authorities. He also cautioned proprietors against violating closure orders, saying offenders could face further sanctions.

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According to the state government, the enforcement campaign is not intended to victimise school owners but to ensure that all educational institutions meet the minimum requirements for safe and effective teaching and learning.

Among the schools identified in the government’s October 10 announcement were Impact Group of Schools, Gospel Beacon Academy and Divvy Bliss Schools in Calabar Municipality.

Others included Warriors Seed Academy, Children of Promise Christian School and Future Amazing International Schools in Calabar South.

In Odukpani Local Government Area, the government listed De-Royal Academy School, Maria Assumpta Nursery/Primary School and Success Kids Nursery/Primary School among the affected institutions.

Five schools were also identified in Akamkpa Local Government Area: Creative Brain International School, St. Luck’s Anglican Nursery/Primary School, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Hot Brain Academy and Armour Christian International School.

The latest closures followed earlier enforcement exercises announced by the government during the week. On October 9, authorities reported identifying 15 schools operating without approval in Calabar Municipality, Odukpani and Yakurr. On October 8, another nine schools were reported shut in Calabar Municipality, while 14 schools were identified in Calabar South on October 7.

The successive operations form part of the government’s effort to strengthen school regulation and quality assurance across the state. However, the individual batches should not be added together without a consolidated list confirming that no school has been counted more than once.

The government has urged proprietors of affected schools to approach the appropriate authorities to regularise their operations and obtain the necessary approvals before reopening.

Parents and guardians have also been encouraged to verify the approval status of schools attended by their children to ensure that the institutions comply with the state’s requirements.

The closures could disrupt learning for pupils and students whose schools have been affected, particularly where families need to find alternative institutions. The government has not provided a consolidated public list of all 58 schools in the reports reviewed or announced a common reopening date for the affected institutions.

The crackdown follows an earlier warning issued by the state government in August 2025, when it announced plans to close unapproved nursery, primary and secondary schools from September of that year.

The state government has maintained that compliance with school approval requirements is necessary to uphold educational standards and ensure that institutions operate within the law.

Cross River Seals 58 Schools in Crackdown on Unapproved Education Centres

Education

FG Releases Eight-Month Arrears After SSANU Strike Threat

Published

5 days ago

October 7, 2026

Trends Admin

FG Releases Eight-Month Arrears After SSANU Strike Threat

The Federal Government has released eight months’ salary arrears owed members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), less than 48 hours after the union issued a 14-day ultimatum threatening an indefinite strike.

SSANU had issued the ultimatum over the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement and demanded payment of outstanding entitlements, warning that failure to act would lead to a “total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action.”

The union’s demands included payment of outstanding Consolidated University Teaching and Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTTA) arrears calculated from January 1, 2026.

It also demanded payment of two months’ salaries withheld during the 2022 industrial action, as well as one-year arrears arising from the approved 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases.

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Confirming the release, SSANU National President, Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, said members would begin receiving alerts reflecting the payment.

Ibrahim commended the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, for intervening in the matter and facilitating the release of the funds.

However, the payment does not resolve all of the union’s outstanding demands. SSANU has maintained that the government must settle the remaining arrears and ensure full implementation of the 2026 agreement.

The development has nevertheless eased an immediate threat of disruption in the Nigerian university system, coming just days after the union warned of a nationwide industrial action.

SSANU has urged affected members to liaise with their respective university managements to ensure that the released funds are properly and promptly paid.

The latest development comes amid continuing concerns over university workers’ salaries, arrears and welfare, as well as the implementation of agreements between the Federal Government and university-based unions.

FG Releases Eight-Month Arrears After SSANU Strike Threat

Education

Why JAMB Is Taking UTME To Canada — Registrar Explains

Published

6 days ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

JAMB Registrar Professor Segun Aina

Why JAMB Is Taking UTME To Canada — Registrar Explains

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has explained why it is taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to Canada, saying the move is aimed at expanding access to Nigerian tertiary education rather than making money.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, said the board is working to establish a UTME examination centre in Ottawa, Canada, from 2027 to enable eligible Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America to sit the examination without travelling to Nigeria solely for the exercise.

The planned centre followed Aina’s visit to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, where discussions were held on arrangements for conducting the examination.

JAMB said the initiative is part of its effort to make the Nigerian university admission system more accessible to Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those seeking admission into universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

“For Nigerians in Canada, the UTME is coming closer to home,” the board said while announcing the plan.

However, the decision has generated questions over the likely number of candidates who would use the centre and whether establishing an examination facility in Canada would be financially viable.

Responding to such concerns, Aina said the number of candidates was not the primary consideration for establishing foreign examination centres.

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He explained that JAMB currently conducts the UTME in about 10 foreign countries as a service to improve access to education, adding that the board also conducts examinations in correctional service centres for the same reason.

According to the registrar, Nigerians relocate abroad for different reasons, while children of Nigerian public servants posted overseas may also need to sit the UTME without returning to the country specifically for the examination.

Aina said the absence of a JAMB examination centre in North America had previously made it difficult for prospective candidates in the region to participate in the UTME locally.

He added that JAMB does not necessarily need to acquire or rent a permanent building or employ a new workforce to establish the Ottawa centre.

The registrar explained that the board works with Nigerian diplomatic missions in countries where it conducts overseas examinations, using temporary spaces within high commission premises and relying on diplomatic mission staff to assist with the exercise.

Aina also said no money had been spent on the proposed Canadian centre so far.

He explained that his visit to Canada coincided with a conference and that he used the opportunity to initiate discussions with the Nigerian High Commission about the proposed examination arrangement.

JAMB‘s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, also defended the initiative, saying more than 100 prospective candidates in Canada had already indicated interest in sitting the examination there.

The proposed Ottawa centre is expected to serve eligible Nigerians in Canada as well as those in other parts of North America who wish to gain admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

JAMB said the move would reduce the barriers faced by Nigerians abroad and strengthen their connection with the country’s education system.

The board also said the initiative would provide an opportunity to showcase Nigerian tertiary education internationally and create more pathways for Nigerians in the diaspora to pursue higher education in Nigeria.

The proposed JAMB Canada centre is expected to commence operations with the 2027 UTME.