West African Senior School Certificate Examination

Also known as: WASSCE · 2027 edition of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination · 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination

2026-04-272026-09-17

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

June 2026
5 JunDaily Guide
Samson Anawine Atogembero in an interview with the media Four candidates of Kumasi Academy (KUMACA) writing this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) have been arrested for allegedly threatening to burn down the school over what they described as unf …
4 Kumasi Academy Students Arrested Over Arson Threats
5 JunJoy Online
… Thomas Aquinas SHS have expressed concerns about the level of difficulty of this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) Core Mathematics paper. …
Students struggle with word problems in 2026 WASSCE Core Mathematics
5 JunThe Chronicle
… The report revealed how final-year students were allegedly compelled to pay between GH¢4,000 and GH¢4,500 to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), in addition to other charges, including examination and hostel fees. …
Editorial: GES Investigation Of Terchire SHS Alleged Extortion Deserves Commendation
3 JunJoy Online
Four students of Kumasi Academy (KUMACA) sitting the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) have been arrested by police over alleged threats to set the school on fire after completing their exams. …
Four Kumasi Academy WASSCE candidates arrested over threats to burn school
2 JunJoy Online
The Tema West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ludwig Teye Totimeh, has toured selected examination centres in the municipality to monitor the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and encourage candidates to uphold integrity throughout the exercise. …
Tema West MCE tours WASSCE centres, urges candidates to avoid malpractice
1 JunJoy Online
… The 2027 edition of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is expected to run from April 6 to June 28, 2027, a period during which final-year students across the country will sit for the crucial examination. …
GES releases 2026/2027 academic calendar for Senior High Schools
May 2026
29 MayThe Chronicle
… School crest They have cited exorbitant PTA fees and WAEC registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). …
Extortion At Terchire SHS: Parents Forced To Pay GH¢4k Unapproved Fees
19 MayJoy Online
… She explained that the recurring outages have also disrupted evening studies, forcing some candidates preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to stay all day in order to continue their studies. …
Blackouts put the lives of Nkawie SHTS students and staff at risk – Headmistress
15 MayDaily Guide
A candidate of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Senior High School (KNUST SHS) has died after a short illness, throwing the school into a state of grief. …
WASSCE Candidate Dies At KNUST SHS
14 MayJoy Online
… He said this during a tour of some senior high schools (SHSs) in Accra to observe the commencement of the theory aspect of this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates (SC) yesterday. …
GES urges public to report exam malpractice on hotlines

Society

Education crisis: exam results, placement failures demand national dialogue

The News

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 →

Thursday 10 September

Education crisis: exam results, placement failures demand national dialogue
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 →
Teacher retraining needed to counter social media influence on students
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 →

Wednesday 9 September

NPP raises concerns over WASSCE results and BECE placement failures
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 →
Teacher retraining needed for social media language in WASSCE
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 →

Tuesday 8 September

Adorye attributes falling exam grades to corporal punishment ban
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 →
WASSCE failures reflect system flaws, not just student performance
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 →
Prof Adei blames placement system, not grading, for WASSCE failures
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 →
WASSCE grading system not to blame for poor results
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 →
Grading system cannot explain WASSCE performance variations, prof says
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 →

Monday 7 September

WAEC calls for research into declining English Language exam performance
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 →
Poor English, Maths results signal Ghana's literacy and numeracy crisis
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 →
Education Ministry monitoring social media language impact on students
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 →
NDC MP urges review of English teaching after WASSCE decline
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 →
WAEC questions search effectiveness after phones found on candidates
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 →
WAEC cancels 8,295 WASSCE results over examination irregularities
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 →
WAEC withholds 270 candidates' results for suspected exam offences
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 calls for reading culture revival and better teacher training
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 →
WAEC identifies grammar weaknesses, poor reading for English decline
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 →

Sunday 6 September

WASSCE 2026 English decline to 62.4% prompts urgent remedial calls
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 →
UG reopens portal for applicants to review entries
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 →

Saturday 5 September

WAEC releases 2026 WASSCE provisional results
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced the release of provisional results for the 2026 WASSCE, accessible through the official WAEC Ghana website at https://ghana.waecdirect.org/. Candidates can check results on their mobile phones by entering their index number, examination details, and a purchased Result Voucher serial number and PIN.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →
WASSCE 2026: English Language performance drops to 62.4%
Performance in English Language declined in the 2026 WASSCE, with 62.40 per cent of candidates obtaining grades A1-C6, down from 69.00 per cent in 2025. WAEC data shows English Language has fallen consistently over four years, from 73.11 per cent in 2023, while other core subjects like Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Social Studies improved.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →
WASSCE 2026: Social Studies, Maths, Science improve; English declines
Social Studies recorded 78.04 per cent of candidates obtaining grades A1-C6 in 2026, up sharply from 55.82 per cent in 2025. Mathematics and Integrated Science also improved, while English Language performance fell from 69.00 per cent in 2025 to 62.40 per cent in 2026, the only core subject to record progressive decline over the four-year period.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →
WASSCE entry rises 11 percent to 512,862 candidates in 2026
The West African Examinations Council reports that 512,862 candidates from 1,022 schools sat the 2026 WASSCE, an 11.07 percent increase on the 461,736 who entered in 2025. Provisional results show Social Studies as the best-performing core subject at 78.04 percent of candidates achieving grades A1–C6, followed by English Language at 62.40 percent, Integrated Science at 62.08 percent, and Mathematics (Core) at 60.75 percent.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →
WASSCE 2026 English Language pass rate drops to 62.4%
Performance in English Language declined to 62.40 per cent of candidates obtaining grades A1–C6 in the 2026 WASSCE, down from 69.00 per cent in 2025, representing a consistent four-year downward trend. While English Language declined, Math Core, Integrated Science, and Social Studies improved in 2026.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →
WAEC releases 2026 WASSCE provisional results for 512,862 candidates
The West African Examinations Council has released provisional results for the 2026 WASSCE with 512,862 candidates from 1,022 schools, an 11.07 per cent increase from 2025. WAEC has warned candidates against fraudsters claiming to upgrade results and encouraged the use of its QR code verification system.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 14 August

Mahama commissions Paga SHS block, vows to end double-track by 2027
President John Mahama commissioned the E-Block of Paga Senior High School in the Upper East Region and promised the school a 60-seater bus, boys' and girls' dormitories, and a dining hall. He pledged to end double-track secondary education by 2027 and said his government has improved school feeding and created dedicated funding for the Free SHS programme.
14 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 13 August

Mahama says ending double-track will boost teacher-student contact
President Mahama has said phasing out the double-track system in Senior High Schools will improve students' WASSCE performance by restoring adequate contact time between teachers and learners, with the phase-out targeted for the end of 2027.
13 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Mahama pledges 60-seater bus to Paga school, sets 100% WASSCE target
President John Dramani Mahama announced plans to provide a brand-new 60-seater bus to a school in Paga, Upper East Region, to support teaching and learning. He challenged the school's students and authorities to achieve a 100 per cent pass rate in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
13 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 7 August

Ghanaian education should measure learning, not just ranking
An opinion piece argues that while ranking has a legitimate place in competitive selection, the primary purpose of education should be to identify whether students have achieved learning standards, not merely to rank them against each other.
7 August 2026 · Joy Online →