Also known as: WASSCE · 2027 edition of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination · 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination
News reports
Order a long-term news report on West African Senior School Certificate Examination
Every mention in the Ghanaian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
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Daily Guide
… He, however, mentioned that despite the difficult conditions, the school recorded a pass rate of 73.4 per cent in the previous year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). …
641 Female Students Compete For 240 Beds At Esiama SECTECHThe Ghanaian Times
… The House said the situation had contributed to 15 senior high schools (SHSs) failing to produce a single candidate eligible for tertiary education in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing the development as a matter of concern for educa …
Social Media Blamed for Poor SHS Performance in Volta RegionJoy Online
… He said the situation was particularly worrying for final-year students who should be preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). …
Obuasi SHTS closure leaves final-year students facing uncertainty ahead of WASSCEJoy Online
… ens of Adansi, has expressed concern over the situation and called for the students to be allowed to return to school. “The situation is particularly alarming for Form Three students, who should be preparing intensively for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination …
Obuasi SHTS students remain at home nearly 3 months after closure over headmaster’s sexual abuse claimsJoy Online
… the closure had left Form Two and Form Three students at home without a clear timeline for returning to the classroom. “The situation is particularly alarming for Form Three students, who should be preparing intensively for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination …
Adansi group petitions chief to reopen Obuasi SHTS, reinstate 38 teachersJoy Online
Thompson Kawoktu Kombat spent a year at home after completing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2018 because his family could not afford his university admission fees. …
From a year at home to Pharmacy distinction: Thompson Kombat’s journeyJoy Online
… The courses will be open to all students, not just those studying IT, with a minimum entry qualification of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) or an equivalent senior high school qualification. …
UPSA launches laptop assembly plant, requiring new students to assemble their own devicesJoy Online
… She praised the school’s performance in the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing the results as evidence of the commitment of both teachers and students. …
Kaerbo For Africa hands over three-classroom block to Gomoa Nyanyano SHSJoy Online
… The 2026 WASSCE results, on the other hand, show some improvement in Core Mathematics, Integrated Science and Social Studies compared with the 2025 results, but English Language performance continued its downward trend. …
The BECE exam and placement conundrum: Necessary evil or failing system?Joy Online
… Form Three students are scheduled to complete the academic year on June 18, 2027, coinciding with the conclusion of the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). …
Mahama orders review of SHS menu as Education Minister assures students of adequate foodEsiama Senior High Technical School in the Ellembelle District has 641 female students competing for 240 dormitory beds, forcing many to sleep in classrooms and the assembly hall. The school also faces a severe furniture shortage, with fewer than 700 desks for 1,642 students, leaving many to share seats, sit on plastic chairs, or use crates for studying.
27 October 2026 · Daily Guide →
Esiama Senior High Technical School in the Ellembelle District has 641 female students competing for 240 dormitory beds, forcing many to sleep in classrooms and the assembly hall. The school also faces a severe furniture shortage, with fewer than 700 desks for 1,642 students, leaving many to share seats, sit on plastic chairs, or use crates for studying.
27 October 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Volta Region House of Chiefs has attributed poor academic performance in the region to students' growing interest in social media at the expense of studies, noting that 15 senior high schools failed to produce a single candidate eligible for tertiary education in the 2025 WASSCE.
27 October 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Obuasi Senior High and Technical School has remained closed to continuing students for nearly three months following a student riot in August, with no clear return date despite the new academic calendar. Final-year students face lost instructional time ahead of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
21 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Obuasi Senior High and Technical School has remained closed to continuing students for nearly three months since August 5, following a riot over sexual abuse allegations against the headmaster. Second- and final-year students are unable to attend classes despite the new academic year beginning, with particular concern raised about Form Three students preparing for WASSCE exams.
21 October 2026 · Joy Online →
A group called Concerned Citizens of Adansi has petitioned the Adansihene to intervene in the reopening of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, which has been closed for months following a riot in which students reportedly attacked the headmaster over allegations of sexual abuse. The closure has left Form Two and Form Three students out of school with no clear timeline for return, particularly affecting Form Three students preparing for WASSCE examinations.
20 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Thompson Kombat spent a year at home after WASSCE in 2018 due to lack of funds, then gained admission to UDS in 2019 but faced continued financial hardship including his mother's death in his second year. He was awarded the MTN Ghana Foundation's Bright Scholarship at Level 300, which covered tuition, accommodation, and living expenses, enabling him to graduate with a Distinction in Doctor of Pharmacy with three academic honours.
20 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The University of Professional Studies, Accra has opened a laptop assembly plant and will require newly admitted students to assemble their own laptops from next academic year, combining practical hands-on IT education with hardware and software training as an alternative to theoretical-only learning.
15 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Kaerbo For Africa, a Denmark-based non-governmental organisation, has handed over a three-classroom block to Gomoa Nyanyano Secondary Technical School in the Central Region to improve educational infrastructure. The organisation previously constructed and handed over the school to traditional authorities in 2020, which has since been absorbed into the public education system.
6 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Of 604,567 BECE candidates who qualified for placement in 2026, 527,932 secured automatic placements, leaving 76,635 without—despite 859,828 vacancies across institutions. The mismatch stems from demand concentration: over 313,000 candidates listed Category A schools as first choice despite only 76,000 available spots, while Category C schools had more than 468,000 vacancies.
19 September 2026 · Joy Online →
President Mahama has ordered a review of Senior High School menus to improve meal quality, while the Education Minister announced plans to increase the feeding grant from GH¢8 to GH¢15 per student. The government allocated GH¢4.2 billion for feeding Free SHS students in 2026 and has established dedicated funding arrangements to address previous shortages.
19 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin called for an honest national conversation on Ghana's education system, citing concerns over WAEC exam results and JHS placement challenges. He noted 183,233 students completed secondary education without a credit in Core Mathematics, English Language credit pass rates fell to 62.40 percent (lowest in four years), and 54,985 BECE candidates were initially denied automatic placement into SHS.
10 September 2026 · Daily Guide →
Former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has called for continuous teacher retraining to help students distinguish between informal social media language and academic writing, citing the use of social media jargon observed in the 2026 WASSCE examinations. He framed the issue as an opportunity for professional development rather than a crisis, advocating for stronger classroom supervision, academic counselling, and professional learning communities where teachers can share experiences and discuss emerging challenges.
10 September 2026 · Daily Guide →
The New Patriotic Party has called for a national conversation on education, citing 183,233 students who completed secondary school without a credit pass in Core Mathematics, an English Language credit pass rate of 62.40 per cent (its lowest in four years), and allegations that 54,985 BECE candidates were initially denied automatic placement despite reported vacancies.
9 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has called for increased teacher professional development to address the use of social media language and jargon in students' 2026 WASSCE examination scripts, framing it as an opportunity to strengthen teacher training and academic counselling rather than a crisis.
9 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Hopeson Adorye, director of field operations of the United Party, has blamed the abolition of corporal punishment in schools for declining academic performance in BECE and WASSCE exams, arguing that the loss of disciplinary measures has weakened pupil discipline. He also cited inadequate supervision in public schools, where some teachers allegedly spend instructional time on phones rather than teaching, and called for stronger oversight in the education system.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Africa Education Watch says poor WASSCE results should prompt scrutiny of Ghana's education system, not focus solely on students or the Stanine grading system. The organization notes that the Stanine norm ensures a proportion of candidates always score at the lower end, and cross-subject performance variations mean a significant cohort may fail to secure placement.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Former GIMPA Rector Professor Stephen Adei has rejected claims that the grading system caused high WASSCE failure and placement rates, instead pointing to weaknesses in the placement system or deteriorating academic standards. He cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from a single year's results.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Prof Stephen Adei says the grading system cannot be blamed for poor WASSCE performance, since the same system was used in previous years. He suggests the issue may lie with the placement system or deteriorating academic standards instead.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Prof Stephen Adei argues that because the WASSCE grading system has remained consistent over years, it cannot explain variations in candidates' performance and suggests attention should focus instead on placement systems and possible declining academic standards. He acknowledged the grading system could be simplified but maintains it is not the cause of poor results.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The West African Examinations Council is requesting further study into why students persistently underperform in English Language at the senior high school level. WAEC's analysis shows a steady decline in English Language results between 2023 and 2026, with the subject now the weakest among core subjects, while performance in mathematics, integrated science, and social studies has fluctuated over the same period.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's weak performance in English and Mathematics examinations reflects persistent literacy and numeracy challenges in the education system, particularly at basic education level, according to the Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies. About 55,000 BECE candidates failed to progress because they did not qualify in English Language, Mathematics, or both subjects.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ministry of Education says concerns over students' use of "social media language" in classrooms are not being overlooked, though the issue has not yet formally come before the Ministry. The Ministry is awaiting WAEC's Chief Examiner's Report, which it expects will provide broader context after the English Language pass rate fell from 69% in 2025 to 62.40% in 2026.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
David Vondee, NDC MP for Twifo Atti Morkwa, called for a review of English Language teaching methods following a decline in students' performance in the 2026 WASSCE, with the pass rate falling from 69% in 2025 to 62.40% in 2026. He argued the problem originates at basic school level and suggested teaching approaches need to change, including the use of technology.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The West African Examinations Council has raised concerns about possible lapses in security checks at examination centres after mobile phones were discovered on candidates during the 2026 WASSCE. WAEC's Head of Public Affairs said supervisors and invigilators have been instructed to conduct thorough searches, and noted that possession of a mobile phone results in cancellation of a candidate's entire results.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The West African Examinations Council has released provisional 2026 WASSCE results for 512,862 candidates from 1,022 schools, with 8,295 results cancelled due to examination irregularities including unauthorised materials and mobile phones in examination halls. A further 1,227 results have been withheld pending investigation.
7 September 2026 · Daily Guide →
The West African Examinations Council has withheld the results of 270 candidates over suspected examination offences in the 2026 WASSCE. Additionally, WAEC cancelled subject results for 7,434 candidates for bringing unauthorised materials and entire results for 861 candidates found with mobile phones.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
WAEC Ghana has urged a renewal of reading culture among students and improved teacher training to address declining English Language performance in Ghanaian schools. The council's Head of Public Affairs said regular reading helps students build vocabulary and understanding, and recommended schools give students exercises like writing summaries of texts they have read.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The West African Examinations Council has blamed the decline in English Language performance in the 2026 WASSCE on weak grammar, poor reading habits, and informal language influence. The pass rate fell from 69% in 2025 to 62.40% in 2026, with candidates struggling with grammar control, concord errors, spelling, and comprehension of texts.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Education Watch's Executive Director says the continued fall in English Language performance in the 2026 WASSCE requires urgent remedial action, with the proportion of candidates obtaining grades A1 to C6 dropping from 69.00 per cent in 2025 to 62.40 per cent in 2026. However, performance in Social Studies, Mathematics, and Integrated Science improved, with Social Studies reaching about 78 per cent in grades A1 to C6—its strongest performance in recent years.
6 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The University of Ghana has directed applicants to log back into its admissions portal to review key details on their applications after the 2026 WASSCE results were released. Applications for the 2026/2027 admissions year remain open, with the portal closing at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
6 September 2026 · Joy Online →