Asaba, Delta State — Ossai Ovie Success, a social commentator and aide to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, has called out the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the recent incident at Unity Model Secondary School, Asaba, where students were seen writing their examination under torchlight.
Reacting to a viral video on Facebook, Ossai described the situation as “disappointing” and said that WAEC, not the Delta State Government, should be held accountable for the disruption.
“Those of you tagging me to the disturbing video circulating on social media have no moral justification to call out the Delta State Government,” he stated, clarifying that the school is properly equipped with electricity and infrastructure.
According to Ossai, the problem stemmed from WAEC’s delayed delivery of examination materials, which forced students to write their papers late into the evening, without access to lighting on the premises.
He noted that Unity Model Secondary School is a day school, not a boarding institution, and is not expected to maintain power supply after school hours. “Students are expected to leave school premises latest 3pm despite the basic amenities in the school,” he said.
Ossai stressed that the appropriate action would have been for WAEC to reschedule the examination to the following day, rather than forcing students to proceed in unfavorable conditions.
“It’s unfair to blame the government for WAEC’s mistakes,” he added. “I urge WAEC to take responsibility for its mistakes and ensure that students are not unfairly disadvantaged.”
He further emphasized that the Delta State Government has invested significantly in educational infrastructure, and the incident does not reflect a failure on the part of the state.
Also addressing the matter, Delta State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu JP, reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with WAEC’s conduct. Upon learning of the incident, she contacted the WAEC branch controller in Asaba to investigate the cause of the delay and registered the state government’s displeasure.