The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the provisional results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.
A total of 512,862 candidates from 1,022 schools were registered for the examination, comprising 225,270 males and 287,592 females.
The number represents an 11.07 per cent increase from the 461,736 candidates who entered for the 2025 WASSCE.
According to WAEC, 5,049 candidates, representing 0.98 per cent of the total entry, were absent from the examination.
The Council announced the release in a statement dated September 4, 2026, indicating that the results had been uploaded online.
Heads of schools are expected to receive login details to access the results of their candidates, while candidates who wish to check their individual results may do so through the WAEC Ghana website.
Performance in core subjects
The 2026 results show varying levels of performance across the four core subjects.
Social Studies recorded the highest proportion of candidates obtaining grades A1 to C6, with 393,918 candidates, representing 78.04 per cent.
English Language followed with 315,094 candidates, or 62.40 per cent, obtaining grades A1 to C6.
In Integrated Science, 309,605 candidates, representing 62.08 per cent, attained grades A1 to C6, while 306,234 candidates, representing 60.75 per cent, achieved the same grade range in Core Mathematics.
English Language recorded a continued decline in the proportion of candidates achieving A1 to C6 over the four-year period.
The pass rate in the subject fell from 73.11 per cent in 2023 to 69.52 per cent in 2024, 69.00 per cent in 2025 and 62.40 per cent in 2026.
Performance in the other core subjects, however, varied over the period.
For Core Mathematics, the proportion obtaining A1 to C6 increased from 48.73 per cent in 2025 to 60.75 per cent in 2026.
Integrated Science also improved from 57.74 per cent in 2025 to 62.08 per cent, while Social Studies recorded a significant rise from 55.82 per cent to 78.04 per cent.
F9 grades recorded
Despite the overall performance, thousands of candidates obtained F9 in the four core subjects.
English Language recorded 55,940 F9 grades, representing 11.08 per cent of candidates.
Core Mathematics had the highest number of F9 grades, with 74,692 candidates, or 14.82 per cent.
A further 76,136 candidates, representing 15.27 per cent, obtained F9 in Integrated Science.
Social Studies recorded 39,416 F9 grades, representing 7.81 per cent.
WAEC cancels and withholds results
WAEC also announced sanctions against candidates involved in examination irregularities.
Following investigations into cases recorded during the examination, the Ghana Examinations Committee approved the cancellation of subject results for 7,434 candidates who brought foreign materials, including prepared notes, textbooks and printed materials, into examination halls.
The entire results of 861 candidates were also cancelled for possessing mobile phones in examination halls.
In addition, the subject results of 957 candidates were withheld, while the entire results of 270 candidates were withheld over various suspected offences.
WAEC further disclosed that some subject results involving candidates from 169 schools remain withheld over alleged collusion.
The cases are still under investigation, with the Council expected to either release or cancel the affected results depending on the outcome of the investigations by October 30, 2026.
Candidates whose results have been cancelled or withheld have been directed to visit WAEC’s irregularity and investigations platform for details on the reasons and the next steps.
WAEC warns against result upgrade scams
The Council has meanwhile cautioned candidates and the public against fraudsters who claim they can alter or upgrade examination results in exchange for money.
WAEC said its results are secured and can be authenticated through its results verification system.
Candidates can also use the WAEC QR code to verify the authenticity of their results.
The Council urged candidates and other stakeholders to disregard anyone who claims to have the ability to change their examination results for a fee.
