“As predicted, the winner of AFCON in 2024 was among the questions. All of us wrote Senegal, with assurances that we got the answer correct. Our teacher had taught us that it was Senegal that won the trophy.”
By Joe Udo
NSUKKA (CONVERSEER) – Students of the University of Nigeria Secondary School, Nsukka, have expressed frustration after a sudden reversal of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner reportedly affected their performance in an ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) mock test.
The affected candidates, all in Junior Secondary School III, said they were misled during their Health and Physical Education (HPE) mock examination after being taught that Senegal won the 2024 AFCON tournament.
According to accounts gathered, one of the questions in the mock exam required students to identify the winner of the competition. Relying on classroom instruction and confirmation from parents, the students answered Senegal.
One of the students, Olivia, said the development left many confused and distressed.
“As predicted, the winner of AFCON in 2024 was among the questions. All of us wrote Senegal, with assurances that we got the answer correct. Our teacher had taught us that it was Senegal that won the trophy,” she said.
She added that after returning home, she encountered conflicting information indicating that Morocco had been declared the winner.
“I confronted my father. He checked on his phone and confirmed that the winner had changed from Senegal to Morocco. What kind of thing is that?” she asked.
Another student, Michael, described the situation as disappointing, particularly given his interest in football and the subject.
“I play football, and I don’t understand how a winner of any contest emerges two months after the match was played. HPE is my favourite subject. I didn’t expect to fail that simple question,” he said.
Michael further questioned how examiners would assess the responses, noting that the answer had apparently changed within hours.
“In the morning when I was going to school, the answer was Senegal; in the evening after the exam, I was told it is now Morocco. I want to know how our scripts will be marked,” he added.
The controversy follows a decision by the Confederation of African Football to overturn the initial result of the 2024 AFCON final. The body ruled that Senegal violated competition rules by abandoning the pitch for 20 minutes during the final against Morocco.
Based on the ruling, CAF awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, effectively stripping Senegal of the title they had initially secured with a 1-0 win.
Senegal has since rejected the decision and indicated plans to appeal the ruling.
The development has raised concerns among students and educators over the impact of sudden changes in factual information on academic assessments, particularly in subjects reliant on current affairs.
