West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced the release of the results for the 2025 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), revealing a significant decline in overall performance compared to previous years.
Briefing newsmen at the WAEC national office in Yaba, Lagos on Monday,, the Head of the National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, disclosed that only 754,545 out of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the examination secured credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. This figure represents 38.32% of the total candidates and marks a decline of 33.8% from the 72.12% recorded in 2024.
“The result analysis shows a lower percentage of candidates who obtained the minimum requirement for university admission,” Dangut said. He attributed the drop in performance to various factors, including poor preparation and growing reliance on examination malpractice.
WAEC revealed that 976,787 candidates were male while 992,526 were female. The exam, conducted over a period of eight weeks and one day, was marred by disruptions, including complaints about candidates writing some papers—particularly English Language—late at night due to delays.
In line with WAEC policy, results of candidates whose examination fees were covered by state governments but are yet to be paid will be withheld until the payments are settled. “The results of such candidates will not be accessible until the concerned state governments fulfill their financial obligations,” Dr Dangut stated.
He also announced that candidates can start checking their results online within 12 hours via the council’s official portal, and that digital certificates are available for download. Physical copies will be dispatched to respective schools at a later date.
According to WAEC, 192,089 results—representing 9.75% of the total entries—are currently being withheld due to allegations of examination malpractice. These cases, which are under investigation, involve various infractions, including smuggling of mobile phones into exam halls and the circulation of leaked question papers on social media platforms.
Dr Dangut said the malpractice rate showed a slight improvement from the previous year’s 11.92%, a change he linked to the introduction of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in key subjects such as English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Economics.
He expressed concern over the rising influence of online platforms in facilitating exam fraud. “Students now rely on so-called ‘expo’ from rogue websites and social media platforms, many of which only deceive them or offer already outdated materials,” he said.
He also noted that conducting examinations has become increasingly expensive due to inflation, rising fuel costs, and the high price of printing materials.
Despite the challenges, Dr Dangut confirmed that the results of all 12,178 candidates with special needs have been released. These include candidates with visual, hearing, and physical impairments.
He advised candidates to use the Smart Identity Cards issued during the examination to access their digital certificates at [www.waec.org](http://www.waec.org) and to share and verify them through the same platform.
Dr Dangut thanked the Federal Government, security agencies, school administrators, and other stakeholders for their support during the conduct of the examination.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama