Parents, Teachers Condemn Indecent WAEC Sign-Out Celebrations

Parents and education stakeholders have condemned the growing trend of unruly "sign-out" celebrations by secondary school students after completing the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), warning that the behaviour is eroding discipline and moral values.

The criticism follows viral videos showing graduating students engaging in indecent acts, public disorder, and vandalism during post-examination celebrations. In Ondo State, some students were filmed behaving inappropriately in public, prompting the state government to identify those involved, sanction the affected schools, and withhold the WAEC results of 17 students.

The South-West Zonal Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Unity Colleges, Ayopo Somefun, described the incidents as unacceptable, stressing that academic achievement should be celebrated with dignity rather than misconduct. He announced that similar sign-out activities would not be allowed in Unity Colleges across the region and called for structured post-WASSCE programmes such as sports, skills acquisition, STEM fairs, and civic engagement to keep students positively engaged.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Council, Gbenga Ayetoba, blamed the decline in discipline on policies and societal attitudes that have weakened teachers' authority.

He said many teachers now avoid disciplining students for fear of harassment by parents or sanctions from school authorities. Ayetoba urged the government to restore teachers' authority, improve their welfare, and rebuild the culture of respect and discipline in schools.

Education stakeholders say stronger collaboration between parents, schools, and government is needed to prevent future incidents and ensure graduation celebrations remain safe and respectful.

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