The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has defended the credibility of its 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, dismissing concerns that technical problems may have affected candidates’ performances.
Dr Amos Dangut, Head of the Nigeria National Office (HNO) of WAEC, said the council’s examination marking, processing and moderation procedures remained credible.
Dangut made the statement on Thursday evening during a virtual dialogue organised by the Education Writers Association of Nigeria. The discussion was held under the theme, ‘Addressing Concerns Over 2026 WASSCE Results, Other Matters’.
He urged parents, schools and other stakeholders who have concerns about specific results to contact WAEC directly for clarification rather than relying on unverified claims circulating on social media.
According to Dangut, WAEC has introduced several reforms aimed at strengthening the examination process, including computer-based assessment as well as the randomisation and serialisation of questions.
He said the increased use of technology in examination administration has helped reduce malpractice and improve confidence in the credibility of WASSCE results.
“The reforms introduced by WAEC have strengthened the examination process, reduced opportunities for malpractice and enhanced the credibility, transparency and integrity of WASSCE results,” he said.
WAEC Reports Drop in Examination Malpractice
Dangut disclosed that reported examination malpractice declined from 9.97 per cent in 2025 to 8.59 per cent in 2026.
He described the reduction as evidence that the council’s ongoing reforms are having a positive impact on examination integrity.
“The reduction in examination malpractice should be viewed as one of the positive outcomes of reforms introduced by WAEC to strengthen the credibility and integrity of WASSCE.”
Schools Raise Concerns Over Results
Despite WAEC’s position, some schools, parents and education stakeholders have questioned the 2026 WASSCE results, particularly the low grades recorded by some candidates in English Language and Mathematics.
Several schools reportedly said some of the results appeared inconsistent with students’ previous academic records, mock examination performances and achievements.
Concerns have also been raised about the possibility of technical problems or irregularities during the processing of the results.
At the virtual dialogue, Mr Fatola Samson, Principal of Babcock School, Remo, Ogun State, described the school’s 2026 WASSCE performance as its poorest in 31 years.
According to Samson, 190 students from the school participated in the examination, but only 27 recorded satisfactory results. He said a number of candidates failed subjects including Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
Stakeholders Seek Review
The concerns raised by schools and other stakeholders have prompted calls for WAEC to review some of the results.
They specifically urged the examination body to investigate cases where candidates’ WASSCE performances appear significantly different from their established academic records and previous examination results.
While WAEC maintains that its processes remain credible, stakeholders are seeking greater clarification to address concerns and reassure affected candidates, parents and schools about the accuracy and integrity of the 2026 WASSCE results.
