The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the provisional results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with the results of 8,295 candidates cancelled or withheld over suspected examination irregularities.
The development comes as thousands of candidates across Ghana begin checking their WASSCE results following the release of the examination results by WAEC.
According to information released by the Council, 7,434 candidates had their subject results cancelled after investigations established that they brought foreign materials, including prepared notes, textbooks and printed materials, into examination halls.
WAEC also cancelled the entire results of 861 candidates who were found to be in possession of mobile phones in examination halls.
More WASSCE results withheld
Beyond the cancellations, WAEC said the subject results of 957 candidates have been withheld, while the entire results of another 270 candidates have also been withheld over various suspected offences.
The withheld cases remain subject to further investigation, meaning the affected results could subsequently be released or cancelled depending on the outcome of the investigations.
WAEC has also indicated that candidates whose results have been withheld can access information about their cases through the Council’s irregularity and investigations platform.
Over 512,000 candidates registered for 2026 WASSCE
The 2026 WASSCE recorded a significant increase in participation.
A total of 512,862 candidates from 1,022 schools registered for the examination. This represents an 11.07 per cent increase compared with the previous year.
The increase highlights the growing number of students progressing through Ghana’s second-cycle education system and the importance of the WASSCE as a major qualification for further education and employment.
Candidates cautioned against result fraud
With the release of the results, WAEC has again warned candidates, parents and guardians to be cautious of fraudsters who claim they can alter or upgrade WASSCE results for a fee.
The Council has stressed that its examination results are secured and can be authenticated through its official verification systems.
Candidates are therefore advised not to share their examination details or pay individuals who promise to change their grades.
The official WAEC eResults platform provides candidates with access to their results and also includes a facility for checking the status of withheld or cancelled results.
What candidates with withheld results should do
Candidates whose results have been withheld should not assume that they have permanently lost their results.
WAEC’s official information indicates that affected candidates should visit the Council’s Irregularity and Sanctions platform to find out the reason for the action taken and receive information about the next steps.
The final outcome will depend on the investigations into the suspected examination irregularities.
The release of the 2026 WASSCE results therefore brings relief to the majority of candidates while also serving as a warning about the serious consequences of examination malpractice.
As candidates proceed to check their results and prepare for the next stage of their education, WAEC is expected to continue its investigations into cases involving suspected breaches of examination regulations.
