WAEC Faces Backlash Over 2026 WASSCE Results as Schools Raise Grading, CBT Concerns

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is facing criticism following the release of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results for school candidates.

The controversy comes amid allegations by some school administrators and education advocates that there may have been grading irregularities and technical challenges associated with the expanded rollout of Computer-Based Testing (CBT).

Some educators have expressed concern that students who had previously demonstrated strong academic performance received grades they considered unexpectedly low when compared with their school records and results from other standardised examinations.

Speaking in an interview, Sam Abdulazeez, Director of Impact House Model Schools in Mowe, Ogun State, said his school had noticed a decline in students’ WASSCE performance in both 2025 and 2026, despite retaining its teaching staff, improving facilities and intensifying examination preparations.

Abdulazeez said the school, which has presented candidates for WASSCE since 2017, had historically recorded strong performances, particularly in Mathematics and English Language.

He recalled that in 2024, all 45 candidates presented by the school for Mathematics reportedly obtained A1. However, he said the school began noticing changes in subsequent years following the introduction of serialisation and CBT.

The school administrator also pointed to the students’ performance in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as evidence of their academic ability. According to him, out of 69 students the school presented for JAMB this year, more than 30 scored above 300, while none scored below 200.

“This year, out of the 69 children we presented for JAMB, over 30 of them had more than 300 in JAMB. And you know that JAMB is completely CBT.”

Abdulazeez attributed the students’ strong UTME performance to extensive preparation, raising questions about why some of the same students reportedly performed differently in the 2026 WASSCE.

The concerns have renewed discussions among educators about the transition to CBT, examination technology and the accuracy and reliability of grading systems, with affected schools and education advocates calling for greater transparency and clarification surrounding the 2026 results.