WAEC document lists 47,525 suspected malpractice cases, with social media-related offences accounting for half; English Language records a reported 9% pass rate as curriculum implementation and teaching practices come under scrutiny.
Sierra Leone’s education system faces renewed scrutiny following the reported withholding of results for 47,454 candidates who sat the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), amid concerns over examination integrity, weak English Language performance and the consistency of teaching across schools.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, disclosed the withheld-results figure as the government confronts questions about the scale of suspected examination malpractice and the effectiveness of measures intended to protect the credibility of public examinations.
A document bearing the title Summary of Crime Types (Captured for WASSCE 2026) lists a total of 47,525 cases across 13 visible categories, creating a discrepancy of 71 between the recorded cases and the 47,454 candidates previously reported to have had their results withheld.
The document identifies social media-related offences as the largest category, with 23,980 cases, representing 50.46 per cent of the listed total. Absence or failure to submit scripts is recorded at 3,026 cases, or 6.37 per cent, while collusion accounts for 8,116 cases, representing 17.08 per cent.
Other categories include mobile phone offences, with 6,005 cases (12.64 per cent); written materials, with 3,319 cases (6.98 per cent); irregular activity, with 1,967 cases (4.14 per cent); and assault, with 357 cases (0.75 per cent).
The document also lists multiple handwriting cases, same handwriting, two answer booklets, folded answer booklets, impersonation and unqualified candidates.
The figures suggest that social media, collusion and mobile phone-related offences account for a substantial share of the recorded cases. However, WAEC needs to clarify what constitutes a case in each category, whether the figures represent individual candidates or separate incidents, and whether the categories correspond directly to the candidates whose results have been withheld.
The document’s heading states that it covers 14 crime types, although only 13 categories are visible in the supplied image. That discrepancy, together with the difference between the total cases and the reported number of affected candidates, requires clarification before the figures can be treated as a definitive account of the examination outcome.
The examination-integrity concerns come alongside troubling subject-performance figures attributed to the minister. According to the figures supplied, English Language recorded a 9 per cent pass rate, compared with 62 per cent for Mathematics, 82 per cent for History and 71 per cent for Government.
If confirmed, the disparity would raise important questions about why English Language performance is considerably lower than the reported rates in the other subjects.
English Language is central to learning across the education system. Pupils need proficiency in reading, comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and written expression to understand questions and communicate knowledge effectively in other subjects.
The reported performance therefore demands more than a focus on examination preparation. It requires an examination of how English Language is taught, how pupils develop literacy skills and whether schools are consistently implementing the approved curriculum.
The 9 per cent pass rate supplied in the minister’s subject breakdown differs slightly from the previously reported figure of 9.7 per cent achieving C6 or better. The two figures should not be treated as interchangeable until the Ministry clarifies their definitions and denominators.
The transition between Sierra Leone’s old and new senior secondary curricula provides an important area for investigation. Curriculum changes require schools to understand the applicable syllabus, teachers to adapt lesson plans and pupils to receive instruction aligned with the requirements of their examination cohort. Where implementation is inconsistent, pupils may receive different levels of preparation despite following the same national curriculum.
Questions therefore arise over whether English Language teachers have received adequate training, whether schools have sufficient approved textbooks and teaching materials, and whether the Ministry is effectively monitoring curriculum delivery.
The way English Language is taught also deserves scrutiny. Effective instruction requires more than memorising grammatical rules or practising past examination questions. Pupils need a progressive understanding of concord, verb tenses, punctuation, comprehension, summary writing, vocabulary and composition, alongside regular opportunities to read, write and receive constructive feedback.
If these skills are not developed systematically from primary school through senior secondary education, pupils may reach the WASSCE examination stage without the foundations necessary to perform well.
The Ministry should investigate whether schools are adequately covering the approved syllabus and whether classroom practices are helping pupils develop practical language skills rather than concentrating predominantly on examination preparation.
However, the reported results alone do not establish that the new curriculum caused the poor performance. That conclusion would require evidence about the changes introduced, how they were implemented and the preparation provided to teachers and candidates.
The reported subject results present a mixed picture, with Mathematics, History and Government recording substantially higher pass rates than English Language. That difference deserves closer examination, including whether the rates are calculated using comparable definitions, candidate populations and grading criteria. Authorities should publish the underlying data so that the public can understand the scale of the disparities.
Teacher preparedness, access to learning resources, classroom conditions and pupils’ foundational literacy skills are among the issues that warrant investigation. Evidence from teachers, school leaders and pupils would help determine whether inconsistencies in instruction are contributing to the reported performance.
The increase in withheld results also requires a transparent response. WAEC should explain the nature of the suspected offences, the criteria used to withhold results and the procedures available to affected candidates.
Withholding results does not, by itself, establish that every affected candidate engaged in malpractice. Investigations must distinguish allegations from proven violations and ensure that cases are resolved fairly.
The 2026 WASSCE figures present an opportunity for the government and WAEC to provide a fuller account of the state of secondary education in Sierra Leone. WAEC should clarify the discrepancy between the 47,454 reported candidates and the 47,525 cases in the supplied document, explain the social media-related category and publish a complete breakdown of the listed offences.
The Ministry, meanwhile, should explain how the new curriculum is being implemented, what training English Language teachers have received and what measures are in place to strengthen reading, writing and comprehension skills throughout the education system.
Ultimately, Sierra Leone’s WASSCE challenges cannot be addressed through examination monitoring alone. Protecting the credibility of public examinations must go hand in hand with improving classroom instruction, strengthening teacher preparation and ensuring consistent curriculum implementation.
The central question is whether the education system is giving pupils the knowledge, literacy skills and support they need to succeed. Answering it will require transparent examination data, evidence from schools and a clear account from the authorities responsible for curriculum delivery and educational standards.
