Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has appealed for an exemption from the ongoing strike organized by labor unions. This exemption is crucial for the uninterrupted conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which began on April 30 and is scheduled to conclude on June 24, 2024.
The nationwide strike, which started on Monday, June 3, 2024, was declared by organized labor in response to the Federal Government’s refusal to increase the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.
In an interview, Dr. Dangut expressed empathy for the plight of Nigerian workers but stressed that preventing candidates from completing the WASSCE would put them at a significant global disadvantage.
“You and I are facing a difficult situation. We appreciate the suffering everyone is going through. The state of the country is known to all; it is indeed pathetic. At WAEC, we are not isolated from these challenges,” Dangut stated.
“Today, we talk about globalization. If our children do not write the exams to fit into a global scenario, they will be at a major disadvantage. Our cause is just—workers are asking for improvements in their conditions. Unfortunately, the world will not understand the problems we are facing if we don’t allow our children to write their exams. If our children miss their exams while others in different parts of the country do not, will anyone give them admission because there was a strike?” he added.
Dangut urged all stakeholders to create an enabling environment to ensure the smooth conduct of the exams.
“Let us allow our children to take the exams so they can compete with other children worldwide. We share the pains of the workers, but for the sake of our children, we must allow them to write the exams. We are appealing to the public for the sake of these children. Let us not compound their problems,” Dangut pleaded.
“Please, let’s allow them to write the exams. If the teacher who is supposed to open the exam hall doesn’t come, or if the gatekeeper refuses to open the gate, it is an appeal to help these children. We have a mandate to conduct exams and we are prepared, but we need an enabling environment,” he concluded.
