The Education Rights Campaign (ERC), on Sunday urged the Federal Ministry of Education to reconsider its position on the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), for the benefit of students.

The advocacy group noted that current students of the Senior Secondary three (SS3) classes face unnecessary academic hardships following the position.

The group disclosed this in a statement to journalists in Lagos, by its Mobilisation Officer, Michael Adaramoye.

Mr Adaramoye expressed worry that the ministry’s December 6 clarification on subject selection, failed to address concerns by students forced to take exams on subjects they had not studied from their SS one classes.

He also noted that the directive for science, arts and business students to pick these unfamiliar subjects, only creates confusion and anxiety for the students.

The ERC officer emphasised that expecting students to learn within four months, subjects they ought to have studied for three academic session, was unfair.

He urged the ministry to protect learners, by preventing what it described as an ‘academically impossible and emotionally distressing’ situation.

Besides, he reminded the authorities that earlier ministry guidelines as well as circular by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), clearly stated that the new curriculum should begin with new learning cycles.

He said that this indicates that only students now in SS one, should be affected.

The organisation said that the position by the exam body, contradicted established transition procedures and forces students to substitute subjects they had been taught, with unfamiliar ones.

Meanwhile, the group, commended the House of Representatives, for its December 4 resolution, and urged the ministry to comply with same.

“We appeal for compassion and reason; let these students sit for only what they were taught, do not sacrifice their future to administrative confusion,” he said.

(NAN)