The Senate has directed the Ministry of Education and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to suspend the implementation of new subject guidelines for the 2025/2026 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), citing fears of widespread failure among candidates.

At Tuesday’s plenary, lawmakers summoned the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and WAEC’s Head of National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, to explain why the examination body attempted to introduce new curriculum requirements months before the 2026 SSCE.

The intervention followed a motion raised by Sen. Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), who said the new rules were originally designed for students currently in SS1 and scheduled to take effect in the 2027/2028 examination cycle. Implementing them for students already in SS3, he said, would be disruptive and unfair.

Karimi noted that the revised guidelines removed subjects such as Computer Studies, Civic Education and several trade subjects from the 2026 SSCE.

According to him, the change leaves students in science, humanities and business classes with only six examinable subjects, below WAEC’s minimum requirement of eight. He added that the policy would force candidates to register for unfamiliar subjects for which they had received no instruction.

Senators across party lines supported the motion, warning that the abrupt shift could lead to mass failure and erode public confidence in the education system.

Former NLC president, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, criticised what he described as poor planning and a pattern of implementing policies without adequate preparation.

Former Lagos deputy governor, Sen. Idiat Adebule, called for an investigation, saying such reforms are typically deliberated upon by the National Council on Education.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen. Adeola Olamilekan, also insisted that examinations must reflect what students have been taught, not sudden curriculum changes.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio questioned the rationale for removing subjects like Computer Studies and Civic Education at a time when digital awareness and civic responsibility are national priorities.

The Senate subsequently referred the matter to its Committee on Basic and Secondary Education and directed it to investigate the circumstances surrounding the new WAEC guidelines and report back within two weeks.