Scores of students sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State sustained varying degrees of injuries after their classrooms collapsed during a heavy downpour.
The unfortunate incident occurred on Wednesday.
The students, along with teachers, corps members, and external supervisors, were reportedly trapped in the collapsed structures and had to be rescued by local residents who responded immediately to the incident.
The victims are currently receiving treatment at a nearby Primary Healthcare Centre in the town.
A resident, Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, who spoke with The PUNCH in a telephone interview, said the incident happened around 6pm, shortly after the second set of students had begun their exams.
“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,” he said.
He added that the windstorm not only brought down the school buildings but also destroyed several homes in the community.