The House Committee on Basic Education and Services has come out to say that it is wrong for the 2020 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to be cancelled in Nigeria.

The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo) revealed this today in a recent statement.

According to him, the Minister never informed Nigerians if the position was in line with the stance other West African leaders and educational bodies have taken amid the pandemic.

He added that the sudden policy reversal is bad for Nigeria and it will only create more confusion in the educational sector.

His words, “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.”

“It would show our development partners and Nigerians that the distortions and disarticulations in the sector are only getting worse.”

The reversal also shows that our policy makers 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,

“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.

“We recommend that WAEC quadruple its invigilators and use all classrooms and event centres to conduct the examination and comply with covid protocols.

“The Ministry of Science and Technology as well as the Ministries of Environment and Health should immediately work out an agenda to fumigate all classrooms, provide hand washing buckets with soap and water, and facemasks to all students.

“Students should come from home, write the paper and disperse immediately.”