Dozens of students taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, narrowly escaped a disaster on Wednesday evening.
Their classrooms collapsed amid heavy rain and strong winds, putting the lives of students, teachers, and supervisors at risk.
The incident occurred around 6 pm, just after the second group of candidates had begun their exams. According to a local resident, Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, “It was the second batch of students still writing their exams that got trapped. The first set had already finished and left. The rain came suddenly with strong winds, and the old classroom structures couldn’t withstand it.”
Several students were trapped under the debris but were quickly rescued by community members who rushed to the scene. A number of students suffered injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to fractures, with both male and female students affected. The injured were immediately taken to a nearby Primary Healthcare Centre for medical attention.
Lauris also noted that the windstorm caused damage beyond the school, destroying some homes in the community. The unexpected weather not only disrupted the exams but also affected the lives of local residents.
In addition to the collapse, heavy rainfall in Jalingo, the state capital, forced students to remain at their exam centers until after 1 am. The rain made it unsafe for candidates to travel home earlier. Compounding the problems, some exam centers experienced delays in receiving the examination papers, which led to exams starting as late as 8 pm in certain locations.
