The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has received praise from parents, students, civil society groups, and other education stakeholders for promptly fixing the technical issues that temporarily disrupted access to its result-checking portal last week.
The downtime occurred shortly after the release of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results on Monday, 4 August. By Friday, WAEC had restored full access, earning commendation for its quick response and transparent communication.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, stakeholders lauded the council’s professionalism, accountability, and ability to manage a critical situation without compromising the credibility of examination outcomes. According to the statement, an independent survey conducted by Veracity Desk during the outage revealed that many Nigerians saw WAEC’s approach as “a dependable example of crisis and perception management, and a safeguard for the sanctity of examination results.”
One parent, Pastor Temitayo Olowookere, a trader at the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos, said the council’s timely updates saved families from unnecessary internet costs and anxiety. “When we heard the results were out, we were excited to check. But the prompt notice about the temporary shutdown prevented us from wasting time and resources. Now that the portal is back, I commend WAEC’s proactiveness and transparency,” he said.
Similarly, Ibrahim Isa, a member of the Action for Girl Child Education in Jalingo, Taraba State, said the incident was handled in a way that reinforced WAEC’s reputation for integrity. “Technical glitches happen everywhere, even in banking systems. What matters is how they are managed and how stakeholders are kept informed. WAEC set a strong standard by validating its crisis response capability through open communication,” he said.
Candidates also shared their experiences. Amarachi Nnamdi, who sat the May/June exams in Abuja, said her initial frustration turned into respect after WAEC explained the cause of the delay. “At first, I was upset. But when I learned the truth and saw they gave a timeframe for resolution, I appreciated their honesty,” she said.
Another candidate, Oghenetega Tadafe from Agbor, admitted he was initially displeased but changed his mind after reading WAEC’s public apology. “My dad reminded me that such issues happen worldwide, even in the UK and US. WAEC’s openness should be applauded,” he said.
Stakeholders say the council’s handling of the incident sets an example for other examination bodies in Nigeria, highlighting the importance of timely communication and maintaining public trust during unforeseen technical disruptions.
