Atiku: WASSCE’s cancellation, not in Nigeria’s interest

TRACKING____Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar yesterday said the Federal Government’s recent decision to cancel the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), would have dire consequences on the educational sector of the nation.

In a statement he personally signed, Atiku, said: “As a parent and investor in the education sector, I wish to register the fact that the Nigerian government’s policy of unilaterally cancelling the WASSCE, held annually by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), is not in Nigeria’s best interest. “At a time of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it is understandable that an abundance of caution be put in place to save lives. However, caution, without consultation, and thoughtful action, may be counterproductive.

“1.5 million Nigerian youths write the WASSCE annually.

To abruptly cancel this examination is to set back our nation’s youth, and place them behind their contemporaries in other West African nations.

This is perilous, because Foreign Direct Investments and other economic indicators are tied to the educational indexes of nations.

“Already, Nigeria lags behind other African nations in crucial indices, like school enrolment, pass rates, and out of school children. This action will further create chaos in the public education system and exacerbate an already bad situation.