The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced the withdrawal of recognition from 574 secondary schools across Nigeria, effectively banning them from hosting the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC’s National Office, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Council’s headquarters in Yaba, Lagos. He said the decision was prompted by multiple instances of examination malpractice recorded in the affected schools over previous years.
“This year, we have shared with the government a total of 574 schools that have had their recognition withdrawn. These schools had their licences revoked due to misconduct during previous examinations.”
“As far as WAEC is concerned, these schools no longer exist for the purpose of conducting our exams,” he stated.
Dr Amos Dangut disclosed that the banning of the schools is as a result of the breech of the guidelines of WAEC and also to curb examination malpractice in schools.
WAEC, Dangut said, would continue to collaborate with both state and federal education bodies to enforce disciplinary measures across all tiers of education.
“It is not enough to sanction the students or invigilators. The schools themselves must be held accountable for systemic malpractice,” Dangut asserted.
The 2025 WASSCE is scheduled to commence on Thursday, April 24, and the Council said it remains determined to ensure a smooth and malpractice-free examination cycle.