As Fraud And Malpractices Bedeviled Administering Of Exams, But WAEC Announces Computer-Based Test For 2026
PHOTO: Dale Gbotoe, Head of WAEC Monrovia Office
MONROVIA, Liberia- The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the provisional results of the 2025 WASSCE and other lower grades exams, with mass failure in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, while fraud and other exams malpractices were recorded, as Garmah Never Lomo reports.
Announcing the results here over the weekend, the head of the WAEC Monrovia Office, Dale Gbotoe said the WASSCE exam for candidates was administered at 379 centers in the fifteen counties and the Republic of Guinea from May 15 to June 25, 2024.
According to him, the overall performance of the candidates at the passing rate of at least a subject on the Examination is encouraging as compared to their counterparts who sat the same examination nationally for the first time in 2018. Nine subjects were offered on the examination with the Arts candidates sitting for seven of the nine subjects while the Science candidates sat a minimum of eight of the nine subjects.
Last year, 2024 WAEC said that the result “shows that the 2024 candidates recorded a percentage pass rate of 60% and above in two of the nine subjects (Biology, and Economics)”, noting that the “passing rate” was “encouraging”. WAEC Monrovia Office Releases WASSCE Results: Overall Performance “Encouraging”, But 725 Candidates’ Results Withheld – News Public Trust
Examination fraud
The WAEC 2025 report speaks of a number of cases of fraud and exams malpractices observed during the administer of this year’s examination, mainly affecting the conduct of the WASSCE.
“It was observed at some centers during the conduct of these exams, especially WASSCE, that some supervisors and invigilators were bent on carrying out malpractice at all costs. At some centers, they created dark/war rooms and sneaked question papers from the exam halls into the dark rooms, answered the questions and sneaked them back into the halls, with the full knowledge of the supervisors and proctors at those centers,” the WAEC report says.
At the same time, “1,944) candidates’ results are withheld for their involvement in five types of Examination Malpractice.”
Also, WAEC says 141) candidates’ results “are being withheld for their involvement in four types of Examination Malpractice.”
WAEC’s boss Gbotoe disclosed that the test administered this year ranged from the Liberia National Assessment test for third graders, Liberia Primary School certificate, Liberia Junior High School certificate and the West African Senior Student Certificate Examination.
He said, for the third grade division, a total number of 36,022 registered for the test but 31,690 sat the test. As for six graders, a total number of 46,992 registered and 46,742 sat the test. While the Junior division has a total number of 53,562 registered for the test but 49,440 sat the test. As for the Senior high level, 46,653 sat for the test.
According to WAEC, 2025 candidates recorded a percentage pass rate of 87.41% in History, 60.00% and above in three of the remaining eight subjects (Chemistry, Geography and Literature in English).
Meanwhile, WAEC’s boss Gnotoe has announced that the Council will begin to administer a computer based test for public students in high schools in 2026.
Mr. Gbotoe said, the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates was administered at 379 centers in the fifteen counties and the Republic of Guinea from May 15 to June 25, 2024.
According to him, the overall performance of the candidates at the passing rate of at least a subject on the Examination is encouraging as compared to their counterparts who sat the same examination nationally for the first time in 2018. Nine subjects were offered on the examination with the Arts candidates sitting for seven of the nine subjects while the Science candidates sat a minimum of eight of the nine subjects.
WAEC in collaboration with the Ministry of Education has also announced that after series of discussions with the authority of the Ministry of Education, “I am pleased to announce to you that beginning 2026, the Council will include on its examination thirty (30) additional subjects (Vocational and Technical) will be offered to candidates in Liberia. This will allow candidates attending Vocational and Technical institutions to write the examination in subjects of their expertise. Each candidate will be permitted to register from a pool of thirty-nine (39) subjects instead of the current nine subjects from which candidates are to select a maximum of nine. The subjects include:
Financial Accounting, Principles of Cost Accounting, Office Practice, Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, Civic Education, Arabic, French, General Agriculture, Physical Education, Crop Husbandry, Animal Husbandry, Auto Mechanics, Building Construction, Metal Work, Technical Drawing, Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration, Auto Electrical Work, Basic Electricity, Basic Electronics, Block, Bricklaying & Concrete Works, Carpentry & Joinery, Computer Studies, Electrical Installation & Maintenance Works, Furniture Making, Plumbing & Pipe Fitting, Welding and Fabrication Engineering Craft Practice, Graphic Design, Catering Craft Practice, and Tailoring/ Garment making.