The West African Examinations Council has appealed for an exemption from the strike embarked upon by the organised labour to enable the council to conduct the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination without disruptions.
This appeal was made by the Head of the Nigeria National Office, WAEC, Dr Amos Dangut.
According to the PUNCH, Dangut explained in an interview that the Council shared the pains of Nigerian workers but emphasised that the candidates would be at a global disadvantage if denied the opportunity to write and complete the ongoing WASSCE.
“You and I are facing a difficult situation. We appreciate the suffering everyone is going through. The country’s state is known to all; it is indeed pathetic. At WAEC, we are not isolated from these challenges.
“Today, we talk about globalisation. If our children do not write the exams to fit into a global scenario, they will be disadvantaged. Our cause is just—workers are asking for improvements in their conditions.
“Unfortunately, the world will not understand our problems 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 of a strike?” he said.
He appealed to all stakeholders to create an enabling environment to ensure that the exams could proceed smoothly and the country could successfully conduct the WASSCE.
The head said, “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.
“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 said.
The ongoing WASSCE commenced on April 30 and will end on June 24, 2024.
The organised labour had declared a nationwide strike, which began on Monday, June 3, 2024, over the Federal Government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.
