Oyo condemns late distribution of WAEC exam papers, urges system review
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Oyo State Government has expressed concern over delays and disruptions recorded during the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), warning that the situation exposed candidates to avoidable stress, anxiety and safety risks.
The concern was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Ibadan by the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, said reports from several examination centres indicated that question papers for some subjects scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2026, arrived late across the state.
He explained that Government (Objective) and Agricultural Science (Practical) papers were delivered to many centres as late as 6:30 p.m., forcing candidates to continue writing examinations well into the night.
Olayiwola added that by about 8:11 p.m., some centres in Ogbomoso and Saki were still conducting the Government objective paper, while Agricultural Science practical examinations had yet to commence in some locations due to the delays.
He further recalled a similar disruption on June 3, 2026, when Mathematics (objective) papers were reportedly supplied in insufficient quantities to several centres, leading to prolonged waiting time and late-night examination sessions.
According to him, officials of the Ministry of Education contacted the WAEC Zonal Coordinator, who attributed the challenges to logistical constraints affecting the examination process.
While noting that WAEC is an international examination body beyond the direct control of the state government, Olayiwola urged the organisation to take urgent steps to prevent a recurrence, including reviewing its distribution and timing mechanisms.
The state government reiterated its commitment to the welfare and academic success of students, stressing that repeated delays undermine the credibility of examinations and place unnecessary hardship on candidates, parents and examination supervisors.
