The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has taken decisive action against examination malpractice by cancelling the subject or entire results of 8,295 candidates who sat for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates .
The decisions were ratified at the 42nd Meeting of the Ghana Examinations Committee, which convened on Friday, August 7, 2026, following investigations into various irregularities recorded during the conduct of the examination .
Breakdown of Cancellations and Withholdings
According to a statement from WAEC signed by John K. Kapi, Head of Public Affairs, the sanctions were imposed in the following categories:
· Subject Results Cancelled: The subject results of 7,434 candidates were cancelled for bringing foreign materials, including prepared notes, textbooks, and printed material, into examination halls .
· Entire Results Cancelled: The entire results of 861 candidates were cancelled for being found in possession of mobile phones during the examination .
· Results Withheld: Additionally, WAEC withheld the subject results of 957 candidates and the entire results of another 270 candidates over various suspected offences that remain under review .
169 Schools Under Investigation for Collusion
The Council further disclosed that some subject results of candidates from 169 schools have been withheld on suspicion of collusion . Investigations into these cases are ongoing, with WAEC indicating that the affected results could either be released or permanently cancelled depending on the outcome of the probes. The Council expects the investigations to be completed by October 30, 2026 .
Process for Affected Candidates
Candidates whose results have been cancelled or withheld are directed to access the Council’s irregularity and investigations platform to find out the specific reasons for the decisions and obtain information on the next steps available to them . WAEC advised candidates to select the “withheld/cancelled” option on the homepage to access the relevant information.
Warning Against Result Scammers
In a strong warning, WAEC cautioned candidates and other stakeholders against fraudsters who claim they can upgrade or alter examination results for a fee. The Council reiterated that its examination results are secured and can be authenticated through its official results verification system .
Overall 2026 Examination Statistics
The 2026 WASSCE for School Candidates in Ghana saw a total of 512,862 candidates from 1,022 schools register for the examination, representing an 11.07% increase over the 2025 entry figure of 461,736 . The government, through the Ministry of Education, has reiterated its firm commitment to protecting the integrity of national examinations, with Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu describing anyone complicit in malpractice as “an enemy of the state” .
