Education
WAEC under fire as results portal goes down
The West African Examinations Council has come under renewed fire following the temporary shutdown of its result checker portal on Wednesday evening, a move it attributed to “technical issues.”
The announcement, posted via WAEC’s official X handle, @waecnigeria, sparked fresh criticism as many Nigerians continue to express outrage over the poor performance recorded in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, particularly in English Language.
“WAEC hereby informs the general public that the result checker portal @waecdirect.org is temporarily shut down due to technical issues.
“However, the Council is working assiduously to ensure that candidates are able to access their results in the next 24 hours. We apologise for any inconvenience this might have caused you,” the notice read.
Wednesday’s notice has further fuelled speculation and public discontent over the examination body’s credibility, especially after Monday’s announcement that only 38.32 per cent of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat the 2025 WASSCE obtained credits and above in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, the worst performance recorded in a decade.
Across social media platforms, many candidates and concerned Nigerians pointed fingers at WAEC’s logistics failures, especially the delayed conduct of the English Language paper, which reportedly held late into the night at many centres on May 28.
On X (formerly Twitter), several users shared screenshots of results showing credit passes in other subjects but failure in English, calling for a comprehensive review of the English Language scripts.
Tweeting at @sikimark, Mark Imohi wrote, “It is concerning that the English exam, which was delayed at centres nationwide, is now resulting in widespread failures. If JAMB could make amends, we hope you (WAEC) will take steps to rectify the situation. It was a national disgrace.”
Another user, @_samad1, lamented, “We wrote exams at 8 pm. We were given one hour or 30 minutes to answer questions that should last two and a half hours. There was no light, and everyone was in a hurry to leave. Please rethink.”
Some candidates expressed optimism that once the portal is reopened, there could be changes in the scores.
“When the portal is reopened, you will see magic,” tweeted Daniel Ebitimi (@ebitimi_da15726).
Others alleged deliberate manipulation and revenue generation motives behind the poor grading.
“Just like JAMB, WAEC is gambling with the future of Nigerians. If the majority of the D’s, E’s and F8’s awarded in English are rechecked, WAEC will pay dearly,” @JayTrezy posted.
Parents also joined the chorus of displeasure, expressing confusion over how students who excelled in other subjects could have failed English.
“My daughter got five A1 and two B2, only to get D7 in English and Physics (withheld),” tweeted a parent, @Johnway11145073.
Another user, @DEYHOT_official, pleaded, “WAEC, please I am begging, help us check the English Language exam again. I can’t accept this result. I struggled so hard to get money and pay for this exam, and now you failed me. This result is affecting my future.”
Some went as far as demanding a total recall of the 2025 results.
“We reject this year’s results, particularly the English and Maths. WAEC, please do the needful to avoid mass protests,” @pastorbtdaniels posted.
The Teacher, @MarquizDejavex wrote, “Students wrote English paper in the mid night and yet WAEC failed them.”
King Jeporphs, @e_okwori tweeted, “The students who were robbed and given abysmal grades in English should tag presidency, Minister of education to have an external body revise the whole exam process.”
WAEC has yet to issue any further clarification on the English Language grading or respond to the growing demands for a review of the affected scripts.
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Sterling Bank has announced the first 30 beneficiaries of its N2 billion ‘Beyond Education’ scholarship, a nationwide initiative aimed at funding university education for 600 exceptional young Nigerians and connecting them to careers in high-impact sectors.
The scheme, launched in June 2025, is the Bank’s most ambitious education-focused intervention to date and is designed to cover full undergraduate tuition at Miva Open University, Nigeria’s first licensed private online university, and Hillside University of Science & Technology, a STEM-focused institution located in Ekiti State.
According to the statement by the bank on Thursday, the announcement marks a significant step in its commitment to long-term national development through strategic investment in human capital.
“This is more than a scholarship. It’s a national development strategy. We’re closing the gap between education and employability. Our mission is to prepare young people for the future of work in sectors that matter most to Nigeria’s progress,”said Growth Executive for Consumer and Business Banking at Sterling Bank, Obinna Ukachukwu,
According to the bank, the selection process was community-driven, with account holders of the bank voting for nominees who were then vetted to ensure they met admission requirements at the partner universities.
The 30 inaugural winners include Abdulahi Afolabi, Damilare Tijani, Abdulwahab Eniafe, Abubakar Isah, Tahir Enesi Ibrahim, Julius Agbene Agbo, Chinedu Kelechi Patrick, Ayomide Ojo, Fyneseed Nwogu, Miracle Woyinmomoemi Daniel, Serene Clinton, Temiloluwa Orekunrin, Udeme Umoh, Victor Esogwa, Rosemary Kosipre, Ali Mohammed, Usman Isiaka Ololade, Kayode Aikulola, Saviour Philip, Ademola Afolabi, Emmanuel Enekwa, Bashir Sani Ibrahim, Ezekiel Adeseye, Deborah Umeaku, Abba Kaka Lawan, Haisam Sunusi Mahmuda, John Gumuan, Afan Ajiji, Bajepade Kehinde, and Chioma Igwe.
Sterling Bank said that while the scholarship covers tuition, recipients are expected to bear the cost of internet access, study materials, and living expenses, a model the bank said was designed for “sustainability and scale.”
The initiative aligns with Sterling’s HEART strategy, an investment model focused on Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Transportation.
With 570 scholarships still available, the bank stated that nominations for the next round would resume in September, while verified nominees were encouraged to continue engaging their communities as voting remains open.
“To ensure effective rollout, nominations for the next round of candidates will pause until September 2025,” the statement added.
The bank reiterated its commitment to expanding access to quality education and “helping shape a future-ready workforce for Nigeria.”
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, on Wednesday, inaugurated a committee to oversee the process of admissions for underage candidates.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed at the sidelines of the inaugural meeting of the committee members in Bwari, FCT.
Oloyede said that the committee would decide the modalities for determining `specially gifted candidates’.
”These are the 599 underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
”The committee will decide on the dates, what to do and set up who to pick at the end. They will pick candidates that are exceptionally brilliant to be admitted into tertiary schools in order to encourage them,’’ he said.
The JAMB registrar noted that the committee meeting had the virtual presence of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities, regulatory agencies, some critical stakeholders and experts in education.
He added that the committee had resolved that between now and September those who would scale the hurdle from the 599 candidates would be announced.
“Their school certificates will be weighed, which means they must have scored 80 per cent, and for the post-UTME, the institution will submit the scores of the candidates, latest by Sept. 16.
“Any candidate who scores below 80 in the post-UTME is already out of it.
“We know that 16 years is the minimum for admissions but we should be able to pick one or two that are very brilliant to encourage them,” he said.
He added that the panel would sit in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri.
Oloyede urged parents to desist from desperation to send their children and wards at tender ages into tertiary institutions, saying that children needed time to develop naturally and mature.
He also cautioned against bribery to gain admission, saying that it was an anomaly to introduce the younger generation into the world of crime.
The registrar assured that the process for the admissions would be transparent and fair due to the quality of the committee members.
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The Federal Government has secured a $25.35 million concessionary loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development to support a major initiative aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in Kaduna State.
The facility, signed on behalf of the Kaduna State Government, forms part of a broader $62.8m blended financing package with international development partners designed to expand access to quality and inclusive education in one of the country’s most affected regions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, the loan is expected to finance the Reaching Out-of-School Children programme, a large-scale intervention targeting vulnerable populations, including girls, children with disabilities, and internally displaced persons.
The statement read, “In a significant step towards improving access to quality education in Nigeria, the Federal Government and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development have partnered to support the Reaching Out-of-School Children programme in Kaduna State.
“This partnership is built on a $25.35m concessionary loan agreement signed today between the Federal Government of Nigeria, on behalf of Kaduna State and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
“The facility forms part of a wider $62.8m blended package with international partners that will expand access to quality, inclusive education and improve learning outcomes for some of Nigeria’s most vulnerable children.”
The programme is set to enrol over 100,000 children, construct or upgrade more than 200 schools, and improve both the learning environment and the capacity of teachers in underserved areas across the state.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, who was represented at the signing by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the programme highlights the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes in social sector investments.
He noted that with millions of children still out of school, particularly in northern Nigeria, each dollar of intervention must translate into real and visible progress.
He also commended Kaduna State for its proactive leadership and strong engagement with partners, expressing confidence that the initiative could serve as a model for replication across other states.
According to the statement, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, reaffirmed the state’s prioritisation of education, disclosing that Kaduna had already fulfilled its counterpart funding commitment of $1m.
He said the state had increased the education sector’s share of the 2025 budget to 26 per cent, as part of a broader commitment to human capital development.
Under the framework of the new programme, 102 new climate-resilient schools will be built while 170 existing schools and learning centres will be rehabilitated, with particular emphasis on marginalised groups and hard-to-reach communities.
The Director-General of the Kuwait Fund, Dr Wahid Al-Bahar, described the project as an investment in hope, noting that its goals extend beyond infrastructure.
He said the fund was proud to support an initiative that aims to guarantee access to learning for every child, stressing that success would be judged by improved enrolment, stronger learning outcomes, and community engagement.
The other partners in the financing structure include the Islamic Development Bank, which is contributing a $10.5m loan; the Global Partnership for Education, offering a $15.45m grant; the Education Above All Foundation, with a $10m grant; and Save the Children International, which is providing $0.5m in technical assistance. Kaduna State’s contribution stands at $1m.
The Federal Ministry of Finance is expected to oversee the programme’s fiduciary processes and coordinate results reporting in collaboration with the state and partner organisations.
This will involve routine joint assessments covering enrolment rates, teacher training metrics, and academic performance indicators to ensure the programme delivers measurable and sustainable impact.
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