The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that it will release all withheld results from the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) by February 28, 2025. This assurance was given during a press conference on February 7, where the council stated that its investigations into suspected examination malpractices were nearing completion.
According to WAEC's Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, hearings for affected candidates are ongoing, and results are being released progressively. The council has been under pressure to release the results after the High Court in Accra ruled that WAEC must immediately release the withheld results on January 30, 2025.
The delay in releasing the results has sparked frustration among candidates and parents, leading to legal action and threats of protests by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS). Lawyer Martin Kpebu represented affected students in court, arguing that WAEC's actions were unfair.
The 2024 WASSCE was largely successful, but WAEC detected multiple cases of cheating, including candidates copying answers, sneaking in cheat sheets, using mobile phones, and engaging in collusion during the exams. As a result, over 10,500 results were withheld for further scrutiny.
John Kapi acknowledged the rising cases of malpractice and stressed the need for collaborative efforts to maintain the credibility of the examination system. He urged students, teachers, and school administrators to uphold ethical standards to prevent future instances of exam fraud.
With the February 28 deadline approaching, students and parents remain hopeful that WAEC will meet its promise. The decision to release the results will bring relief to thousands of candidates whose academic and career plans have been on hold due to the delay.