Dozens of students sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination narrowly escaped tragedy on Wednesday evening after a block of classrooms collapsed at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, amid a torrential downpour and violent windstorm.
The affected students were in the middle of their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when the aging structures gave way.
Teachers, NYSC members, and WAEC officials supervising the exam were also trapped inside but were rescued by quick-acting local residents. Several students sustained injuries, including suspected fractures, and are currently receiving treatment at a nearby Primary Healthcare Centre.
According to community leader Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, the incident occurred around 6 p.m. “It was the second batch of candidates still writing their exams that got caught in the collapse.
The first set had already finished,” he said. He also noted that the windstorm not only destroyed school buildings but also damaged multiple homes in the area.
In a related incident in Jalingo, the state capital, heavy rainfall disrupted the examination schedule. Some candidates remained stranded at their centres until after 1 a.m., unable to return home due to flooding. Compounding the situation, some exam centres reported a late arrival of the day’s WAEC paper, which delayed the exam until as late as 8 p.m.
