IPOB Sit-at-Home: 300,000 Students in South East at Risk of Missing WASSCE Math Exam
IPOB urged the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to postpone the General Mathematics examination as it coincides with their celebration of "Biafra Day." The group announced a sit-at-home protest across the entire South East, with restrictions on vehicular and pedestrian movement. IPOB warned that student security couldn't be guaranteed on May 30, holding WAEC accountable for any incidents during the exam.
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Almost 300,000 students in the South East may miss writing the General Mathematics exam in the ongoing May/June 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) scheduled for May 30, 2024, due to a sit-at-home declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Last week, IPOB urged the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to postpone the General Mathematics examination as it coincides with their celebration of "Biafra Day." The group announced a sit-at-home protest across the entire South East, with restrictions on vehicular and pedestrian movement. IPOB warned that student security couldn't be guaranteed on May 30, holding WAEC accountable for any incidents during the exam.
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Given that Mathematics, like English Language, is a compulsory subject, the decision not to hold the examination due to the sit-at-home order could potentially disrupt the education of all 300,000 students in the South East.
Despite WAEC's reluctance to postpone the exam, they reached out to the Federal Ministry of Education, governors of the five South East states, and the Inspector-General of Police, seeking assurances for a smooth WASSCE.
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Dr. Amos Dangut, the Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC, stated: “The council cannot feign ignorance of the level of insecurity in the country. Conducting exams has been challenging. Instances of insecurity exist in many places across the country. Conducting examinations in insecurity-prone areas would require extra security arrangements. The council appreciates the continued support received from the Nigeria Police as partners in actualizing its goals during the conduct of its examinations.”
While the Commissioner for Education was unavailable for comment, a high-ranking official from the ministry, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concern: “The directive of IPOB, if carried out, will do the affected students and the South East as a whole more harm than good. Preventing the students from writing the exam, which is an international examination that cannot be retaken on a later date by the students, will prevent them from gaining admission into higher institutions.”
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The official also mentioned that while the government has not officially met with IPOB leaders, it is using this platform to appeal to them to reconsider their earlier order for the sake of the innocent students.
