Ghana WASSCE 2026: Mathematics scores rise as English declines

The 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results in Ghana show a significant divergence in subject performance. Core Mathematics pass rates, defined by grades A1 to C6, rose from 48.73 percent in 2025 to 60.75 percent in 2026. John Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), attributed this 12-point increase to teachers adapting their methodologies based on previous Chief Examiner Reports, specifically improving instruction in geometry, arithmetic progression, and business mathematics.

In contrast, English Language performance has entered a concerning downward trend. The pass rate fell from 69 percent in 2025 to 62.40 percent in 2026, marking a four-year decline from 73.11 percent in 2023. Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Education Watch, described this decline as worrying, noting that approximately 56,000 candidates failed the subject. Asare emphasized that strong literacy is essential for academic development and called for urgent remedial actions at the basic-school level, including better teacher deployment and improved learning materials.

While English declined, other subjects showed improvement. Social Studies saw a notable rise, with the proportion of candidates obtaining A1 to C6 reaching 78.04 percent, and Integrated Science also recorded gains.