2026 WASSCE Takes Off Across West Africa With Increased Ghanaian Participation
The 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates has commenced across participating West African nations, with candidates beginning the examination process with practical and oral papers in various subjects.
For the first time in five years, Ghana is participating in the regional examination alongside Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia after previously conducting an independent national version during the COVID-19 period.
The return to the regional examination system is seen as a major step in restoring the long-standing West African academic structure that existed before the pandemic disrupted educational activities across the sub-region. The joint examination arrangement allows participating countries to maintain a common assessment standard while strengthening regional academic coordination.
Data available for this year’s examination indicates that 473,658 final-year Senior High School students from Ghana have registered to sit for the examination. Out of the figure, 248,461 are males while 225,197 are females from 1,020 public and private second-cycle institutions nationwide.
The total candidature represents an increase of 2.58 per cent compared to the number recorded in the previous year, showing a steady rise in participation and continued growth in Senior High School enrolment across the country.
Candidates are expected to sit for both core and elective subject papers throughout the examination period under the supervision of officials deployed to centres across the participating countries. Authorities are also expected to enforce examination regulations strictly to ensure credibility and fairness throughout the exercise.
The regional examination is being coordinated by the West African Examinations Council to ensure a standardised assessment process across member countries.