An Abuja-based non-governmental organisation, OpenFees, has said there is no reason why Nigerian students cannot sit the 2020 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.

The group argued that if the country can manage to conduct elections into political offices in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, students should not be stopped from sitting WASSCE.

In a statement on Sunday by its Portfolio Coordinator, Stephanie Ronald, OpenFees  called on the Nigerian government not to play politics with the education of the youths.

The statement was titled, “WASSCE: If You Can Hold Elections, Students Can Take Exams –OpenFees Tells FG”.

The group said, “Science, technology and rigorous enforcement of hygiene and social distancing rules are already making it possible for schools elsewhere to reopen gradually and there is no reason why we can’t use that here.

“We are particularly concerned that JSS 3 and SS 3 students in public schools, most of who have not had significant learning  because of poor access to online resources, would have to wait for another year before taking their final exams.

“If government can invest half the time and resources it wants to use to conduct elections, in spite of COVID-19, to provide safe environment for students, it should be possible for these final-year students to take their exams without too much difficulty.”

OpenFees called on the Federal Government to stop playing politics with education but to take a decision “for the sake of students whose future is at stake.”