The Senate has raised strong objections to the sudden introduction of a new curriculum and registration guideline by the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, directing its Committee on Basic and Secondary Education to summon the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, and heads of other relevant agencies for an emergency briefing.
The decision followed a motion presented by Senator Sunday Karimi of Kogi West, who warned that the abrupt policy shift could trigger mass failure among students preparing to sit for the 2026 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, SSCE. He described the move as ill-timed and poorly coordinated, stressing that many students would be unfairly disadvantaged.
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Senator Karimi explained that the Federal Ministry of Education and WAEC had suddenly mandated all SS3 students nationwide to adopt a curriculum originally designed for candidates currently in SS1, with implementation scheduled for the 2027–2028 examination cycle. According to him, forcing this early adoption disrupts years of academic preparation.
He noted that the new guideline has already resulted in the removal of key subjects such as Civic Education and Computer Studies from the syllabus for the May/June 2026 examination. This leaves many students with only six examinable subjects, far below WAEC’s mandatory minimum of eight and maximum of nine subjects required to sit for the exam.
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Karimi emphasized that the abrupt change contradicts Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which prioritizes citizens’ welfare, and Section 18, which mandates government to ensure equal and adequate educational opportunities across the country. He insisted that the Senate must intervene to prevent what he described as an impending academic crisis.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North criticized what he termed a “culture of policy anarchy” that allows major reforms to be introduced without adequate consultation. He questioned how students could be expected to write examinations on subjects for which no teaching, training, or classroom resources had been provided.
Oshiomhole argued that no responsible government should expose its students to such risks, warning that the lack of trained teachers, laboratories, equipment, and parental notification made the policy untenable. He urged the Senate to demand concrete evidence of readiness before allowing any change to proceed.
Senator Idiat Adebule of Lagos Central added that any reform of this scale must pass through the National Council on Education, which brings together all state commissioners to review and harmonize policies. She called for a broader investigation into the entire curriculum review, stressing the need for nationwide stakeholder engagement.
Responding to the concerns, Senate President Godswill Akpabio ruled that the Education Minister and heads of relevant agencies must appear before the Senate immediately to provide explanations and present clear plans for the 2026 examination year. He noted that the Senate had already agreed that current SS3 students should be exempted but said further dialogue was required.
Akpabio described the controversy as a matter of national urgency, warning that the country could not afford widespread failure in the 2026 WAEC examinations. He directed the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education to submit a comprehensive report within two weeks, ensuring that no student is placed at a disadvantage due to poor policy implementation.
