Dozens of students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) narrowly escaped death on Wednesday evening when an examination hall collapsed at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The collapse occurred during a severe downpour accompanied by a violent windstorm around 6 p.m., trapping students, teachers, corps members, and external supervisors inside the structure. Local residents responded swiftly, rescuing those caught under the debris.
Several students reportedly sustained injuries, including fractures, and are currently receiving treatment at a local Primary Healthcare Centre.
“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,” said Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, a resident of the area who spoke to The PUNCH via telephone.
The windstorm not only brought down the school buildings but also damaged several homes in the Namnai community.
In a related incident, WASSCE candidates in Jalingo, the state capital, were forced to remain at their centres until after 1 a.m. due to persistent rain, which made travel unsafe. Compounding the situation, students at some centres reportedly received their exam papers late and could not begin until 8 p.m.
Efforts to reach the Taraba State Commissioner for Basic Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin, were unsuccessful as her phone was not reachable at the time of this report.
The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of educational infrastructure in rural areas and the urgent need for government intervention to prevent future tragedies.
