Students escape uninjured as school building collapses in Taraba during WAEC

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Hundreds of secondary school students writing their final year West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, narrowly escaped death on Wednesday evening when strong winds and heavy rainfall caused the collapse of a classroom building at Government Secondary School, Namnai village, Gassol Local Government Area.

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. as the second batch of students had just begun their exams.

Eyewitnesses report that the sudden storm caused the classrooms to cave in, trapping students, teachers, NYSC corps members, and exam supervisors inside.

“Many victims, both male and female students, sustained serious injuries, including fractures,” said Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, a resident of Namnai.

“Teachers, exam supervisors, and corps members were also trapped under the rubble but were rescued after several hours by local residents.”

The injured were rushed to a nearby primary healthcare centre for treatment. Lauris also noted that several houses in the town were damaged by the storm alongside the school building.

In a related development, the heavy downpour disrupted WASSCE examinations in Jalingo, the state capital, where flooding and poor visibility prevented many students from returning home until after 1 a.m.

As of this report, authorities have not yet issued an official statement on the extent of the damage or whether the examination schedule will be adjusted.