Sierra Leone releases 2026 WASSCE results amid malpractice and debt issues

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, has officially released the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results. Of the 200,756 candidates included in the results submitted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), 91,122 students achieved at least five credits in a single sitting, a 64.3 per cent success rate that marks an improvement from the previous year.

However, the release is marked by significant irregularities. The Ministry reported that 47,454 candidates had their results withheld due to suspected examination malpractice. Social media-related offenses accounted for the largest share of these cases, representing over 50 per cent of the suspected malpractice recorded.

Additionally, 368 candidates from five private schools—Great High School of Science and Business, Royal International School, Faith Walk Academy Senior Secondary School, Rev. Christian International High School, and Globe International—were excluded from the results. This exclusion is due to an outstanding debt of NLe 114,093 owed by these institutions to WAEC. Minister Sackey clarified that while the government covers fees for public schools, private schools are responsible for their own remittances.

Alfred Farwell Thorpe of Sierra Leone Grammar School was recognized as the top-performing candidate, securing six A1 grades across eight subjects.