A non-governmental organisation, OpenFees, has told the Nigerian Government and other stakeholders in the education sector to stop playing politics and take a stand on the 2020 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination for the sake of students whose future were at stake.
The group said if politicians could hold elections following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, it should also be possible for final year students to take their exams.
In a statement on Sunday, OpenFees said science, technology and rigorous enforcement of hygiene and social distancing rules were already making it possible for schools elsewhere to reopen gradually.
The statement reads, “If politicians can invest half the time and resources they want to use to conduct elections in spite of COVID-19 to provide safe environment for students, it should be possible for these final year students to take their exams without too much difficulty.
“We are particularly concerned that JSS 3 and SS 3 students in public schools most of who have not had significant learning, because of poor access to online resources would have to wait for another year before taking their final exams.”
The group said there was a cloud of uncertainty and doubt over government’s commitment despite the statement by the Ministry of Education on Thursday that Nigeria would consult with the four other West African countries in WAEC and possibly hold the examination in September.
The group added that the Nigerian Government must learn from and use the experiences of countries where schools are already reopening to address the challenge.
