By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), popularly known as the Pyrates Confraternity, has condemned what it describes as the “national disgrace” of forcing Nigerian students to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the dark and in unfit conditions due to the late arrival of exam papers in Asaba and other parts of the country.
Speaking to journalists in Asaba, Comrade Michael Chukwuma Nwaidei, Capoon of the Vito Corsica Deck of NAS (Aniocha/Oshimili and Ika federal constituencies), expressed outrage over the situation, demanding immediate accountability from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and relevant authorities.
“What happened that night was absolutely unacceptable!” Nwaidei declared. “That heads do not roll as a result of these glitches is outrightly ridiculous! How can parents, guardians, and students be in schools till well past 10 p.m. in places like Asaba, where normal transportation ceases to be accessible after 10 p.m.? It’s so unfair! And coming so quickly on the heels of the JAMB debacle?
Michael Nwaidei emphasized that secondary schools are not boarding houses where students can stay overnight, nor are they universities or tertiary institutions with provisions for night study. “This was not only dangerous but also unfair to students who had worked hard to prepare for this crucial exam,” he added.
The Pyrates Confraternity did not hold back in their criticism of WAEC’s management, accusing the body of gross irresponsibility. “The same WAEC that wants to phase out paper-and-pen exams this year and begin computer-based tests is the one that can’t even deliver papers on time,” Nwaidei said. “Is this how they plan to transition to computer-based tests in a country with unstable electricity, unreliable internet, and constant insecurity?”
The Vito Corsica Pyrates Capone warned that the chaos might result in many diligent students ending up with poor grades despite their hard work. “In Nigeria, your input doesn’t always match your output,” he lamented.
SPADE NG news gathered that residents in Asaba also slammed the Delta State government for being distracted by political maneuvering instead of prioritizing education. “Sadly, what do you expect when you have a Minister of Education whose first response to the outcry over mass JAMB failures was to claim that it proves anti-exam malpractice measures are working -a tone-deaf remark,” pundits in Asaba said. “Meanwhile, the Delta State government is too busy celebrating political defections to notice the collapse of the very system they’re supposed to fix. When politics takes precedence over education, students are left in the dark—literally and figuratively.”
This incident which came to limelight with the viral social media video of students of Government Model College, Asaba, writing their WAEC Examination with torchlights, has sparked widespread concern among stakeholders, highlighting the need for systemic reforms in Nigeria’s education sector to safeguard the rights and well-being of students nationwide.
The Pyrates Confraternity called on WAEC and the Federal Ministry of Education to issue a public apology, hold those responsible accountable, and implement urgent reforms to prevent such incidents in the future.