WAEC Withholds Results of 47,454 WASSCE Candidates Over Suspected Malpractice
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the results of 47,454 candidates who sat the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Sierra Leone over suspected examination malpractice.
Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, disclosed the figures, raising concerns among thousands of candidates awaiting the outcome of their examinations.
The affected results have reportedly been withheld pending the handling of cases linked to alleged irregularities during the examination. However, the withholding of results over suspected malpractice does not automatically establish that all affected candidates are guilty of wrongdoing.
The development comes amid growing concerns about students’ academic performance, particularly in English Language, where the reported results point to significant challenges.
According to the figures provided, only 9.7 per cent of candidates who sat the English Language examination achieved a grade of C6 or better, while 63.33 per cent reportedly failed the subject.
The figures have renewed calls for stronger interventions to improve teaching and learning outcomes in schools, particularly in English Language. Education stakeholders are likely to face increased pressure to address weaknesses in reading comprehension, writing, grammar and other essential language skills.
The reported performance also highlights the need for sustained investment in teacher development, effective classroom instruction and measures to support students who struggle with core subjects.
Meanwhile, the withholding of thousands of WASSCE results is expected to heighten anxiety among affected candidates and their families as they await further clarification on the examination malpractice cases and the eventual status of their results.
