House of Reps Disagree With Minister Over Cancellation of WAEC, Say Policymakers Not Taking Proactive Steps to Contain Coronavirus

The House of Representatives has faulted the cancellation of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, in a statement on Friday said the cancellation is not good for the country.

Statement read, “The minister also did not also inform the public, if the decision was the outcome of a meeting with all state governments that are in charge of all, but the unity secondary schools that are owned by the federal government.

“The Minister of State, in his usually consultative and participatory approach, had briefed the nation at the Covid 19 Presidential Committee briefing over the airwaves and in an appearance before the House Committee on Basic Education where he assured Nigerians that all steps had or were being taken to ensure full compliance with all Covid 19 protocols.

“This sudden policy reversal is not good for the country. It is bound to create further confusion in the education sector,  create disappointment and suspicion among parents, frustrate the students and show to our development partners and Nigerians that the distortions and disarticulations in the sector are only getting worse.

“The reversal also shows that our policymakers may just be adopting a laid-back approach to the need to confront the novel coronavirus rather than taking proactive and creative steps to manage and contain it.

“The House Committee disagrees with the minister and believes that a reconsideration is urgently needed to save our educational system on the following grounds that Nigeria is not the only country expected to write the examination in the midst of Covid-19.

“Nigeria should insist that the examination be based exclusively on the already covered syllabus of schools; the Federal Ministry should not chicken out of its responsibilities but take charge, provide policy direction, engage the states and other stakeholders, while the WAEC should quadruple its invigilators and use all classrooms and event centres to conduct the examination and comply with Covid-19 protocols.”