Sunyani: The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has attributed the poor performance of candidates in the 2025 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to the stringent measures implemented to ensure the integrity of the exams.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Lilian Frimpomaa, the Bono Regional Controller of WAEC, explained that the new measures made it difficult for candidates to engage in examination malpractices. WAEC and stakeholders introduced these measures to curb negative practices during the examination period.
Last week, WAEC released provisional results showing significant failure rates among candidates: 220,008 failed in mathematics, 131,097 in English Language, 161,606 in Integrated Science, and 196,727 in Social Studies. Madam Frimpomaa noted that CCTV cameras were installed at some examination centers in the region, and monitoring efforts were intensified by the WAEC team.
She further explained that before the exams, the Council held extensive meetings with school heads and stakeholders to develop strategies to combat malpractices. These efforts were part of a broader initiative to improve the integrity of the examination process.
Meanwhile, some families in the Sunyani municipality expressed concerns about the increasing indiscipline in Senior High Schools (SHSs), attributing the poor performance to such behavior. They emphasized the need for effective collaboration between stakeholders and educational institutions to address these issues.
In an interview, Mr. Nii Botey, a parent, remarked on the impact of student indiscipline on academic performance. Mr. Seid Mubarak, another parent, urged the government to enhance physical infrastructure and eliminate the double track system in SHSs. Additionally, there were calls for WAEC to take action against officials involved in leaking examination papers and facilitating malpractices.