Secondary schools in Nigeria begun writing their Senior and Junior Secondary Certificate Examinations across Nigeria on August 17.
In a special visit to some schools in Sokoto Northwestern Nigeria, our Reporter observed that some schools had not met the guidelines set by the Federal Government on the reopening of schools for exit students to write their final exams.
In some of the schools visited, students were seen in the classrooms writing their exams.
Hafsat Ibrahim is a final year student at Sahaba Acadamy Arkilla who explained that students feel free writing examination because social distancing does not allow conversation among them which may lead to the seizure or cancellation of papers, saying that it is better than not writing the examination at all which would have negatively affected them.
Another student Laura Hassan said writing examination in this pandemic is a great challenge, although students had stayed at home for a very long time and that they were given only two weeks to study for their examination, which she said would affect their performance.
Muhammad Sani Gosta is a parent and educationist in Sokoto who lamented that the set objectives may not be achieved, saying that “students ought to have [been] given enough time to study and also prepare for the examination.”
Muhammad Sani added that the end product of the examination may not suite both the students and their parents.
Our reporter discovered that another great concern that may pose danger is the attitude of some students who refuse to adopt the guidelines to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. He observed students playing without wearing face mask or maintaining social distancing after writing the examination outside some schools and school managers were not paying attention or did not just care.
Tertiary institutions across Nigeria remain closed since the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic in February, but authorities said they are working round the clock for strategies for the reopening of tertiary institutions across the country.