The Sokoto State High Court has ordered the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, to immediately release the withheld results of 47 students of Global Kids Academy, Sokoto.
Justice Muawiya Mahmud delivered the ruling after hearing submissions from counsel to the plaintiff, Ferdinand Okotete, and defence counsel, Kabiru Yusuf, while WAEC’s legal team was led by Taiwo Osipitan, SAN.
The court held that the evidence before it demonstrated that the students’ rights had been violated, criticising WAEC’s publications against the school as damaging and defamatory.
It therefore set aside WAEC’s decision at its 76th NEC meeting, declaring it “null and void” for breaching the right to a fair hearing.
The court further directed WAEC to release the students’ 2023 General Mathematics results, noting that they were not implicated in any malpractice, and to publish a retraction and apology to the school in a letter, on its website, and in a widely circulated national daily.
In addition, the court awarded N10 million in general and aggravated damages, together with N1 million as costs of the action, in favour of Global Kids Academy.
