The Federal Ministry of Education has firmly debunked claims suggesting that the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has been cancelled.
This clarification came in response to a viral message circulating on social media, which was disguised as an “urgent notice” purportedly issued by the ministry and allegedly signed by a certain “Dr. Aisha Lawal.”
The fake statement alleged that the 2025 WASSCE was cancelled across Nigeria due to rampant cases of examination malpractice, including reports of question leakages as early as 72 hours before the scheduled examinations.
However, in an official press release issued by the ministry on Sunday, July 20, these claims were categorically described as “false and misleading.” The ministry clarified that the 2025 WAEC examinations had been “successfully concluded” with only a few isolated incidents of malpractice, all of which were promptly addressed by the appropriate authorities.
Additionally, the ministry provided an update on the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) assessments, assuring that the examinations are proceeding smoothly and without any recorded instances of malpractice at the time of the statement.
“The Federal Ministry of Education has not received any official communication or report from WAEC, NECO, or any other examination body indicating widespread malpractice or breaches in examination integrity,” the statement emphasized.
In a stern warning to the public, the ministry urged students, parents, school authorities, and the general public to disregard the fake information making rounds, labelling it “entirely fabricated, misleading, and designed to incite unnecessary fear and confusion.”
To avoid misinformation, the ministry advised the public to rely solely on verified sources such as the official websites of the Federal Ministry of Education (www.education.gov.ng), WAEC (www.waecnigeria.org), NECO (www.neco.gov.ng), and other credible media platforms for accurate and up-to-date information.
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of the ministry’s commitment to preserving the credibility and integrity of public examinations in Nigeria. The ministry pledged to continue collaborating with all examination bodies to reinforce monitoring mechanisms and enforce strict compliance with examination standards.