Outrage as WAEC Demands N1.85m to Release List of Best Students

West African Examination Council (WAEC) has demanded the sum of N1.85 million from a firm, EDUBOX to release the list of best students in the May/June 2015 session.

According to Daily Trust, EDUBOX, a Lagos-based organization had on December 8, 2015, in a letter signed by Sanusi Tosin, chief executive officer, requested the list of best students in each states of the country from the West African Examination Council.

According a copy of the letter obtained by LEADERSHIP, the organisation proposed to reward the best students to inspire the younger generation.

The letter reads in part, “The above named organization hereby request from your establishment the list of the best outstanding students in the May/June academic session in each states in Nigeria.”

“It is aim of the organization to reward these students with the purpose of inspiring the younger generation…”

But in a reply letter from WAEC to EDUBOX, dated January 20, 2016, and signed by an officer-in-charge (test administration), the exam body demanded for a whooping sum of over N1.8m as cost of processing the data for the organisation.

The letter with reference No. L/EC/STAT/47/VOL.VII/I88 from the coordinator of the West African Examination Council, on January 20 2016, reads: “Please refer to your letter dated 8th December, 2015 on the above subject.

“This is to inform you that the cost of processing the data is N1,850,000.00 (One million, eight hundred and fifty thousand naira) only. Kindly draw a bank draft in this sum in favour of the West African Examination Council to enable us process your request.”

The development is attracting lots of criticism from Nigerians when copies of the correspondence got to Twitter via the handle @adeola0503.

Efforts being made to the reactions of officials of the examination body for clarifications proved abortive.