The first breakthrough came when I spoke with a group of older students I met near the community center. They told me that many of the kids in Makoko who prepare for exams actually share past questions among themselves. They showed me how they copied questions from one phone to another using Bluetooth or direct file transfers, so everyone had access without paying for prints or downloads. That small network of sharing was the first real resource I tapped into.

I also discovered that there are a few local study spots where students hang out and revise together  under shaded areas or porches close to the water. At those spots, someone often had a stack of past WAEC papers saved on a phone or tablet, and we’d gather around and go through them. If someone needed a specific year or subject, we’d politely ask the owner to share it for a bit, and then send it to others via Bluetooth. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.

Sometimes I also printed questions in small quantities from a nearby print shop (not the expensive ones near major roads). I’d go with a friend to split the cost, so we both got our copies for much less than what other students around us were being charged. When I needed a subject I didn’t have, I’d trade answers I already had  like I give you Economics in exchange for Biology  because people were usually willing to swap and help each other out.

What mattered most for me wasn’t just finding the questions, but sharing and collaboration. Students in Makoko didn’t guard their materials jealously; they worked together because everyone knew how hard it was to prepare without resources. We formed little study groups and quizzed each other, using the past questions as our guide.

Looking back, getting past WAEC questions in Makoko without spending “crazy money” came down to community effort, resource sharing, and creativity. Instead of paying inflated prices, I learned to leverage what others had, contribute what I could, and build a support system that helped everyone study smarter  not poorer.