The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has rolled out new regulations and a modernized exam structure for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Liberia, signaling a major shift in how senior school assessments will be conducted.
Speaking at a press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) in Monrovia, WAEC Liberia Head Mr. Dale Gbotoe revealed that while students will sit for the same core subjects, no two schools will receive the exact same exam questions.
“This year, we’re introducing question variants across schools for the four core subjects to curb cheating. It’s a strategy that’s worked well in other West African countries,” Gbotoe explained.
WAEC also announced the inclusion of technical and vocational subjects, increasing the number of subjects each Liberian candidate will write to nine.
New Mandatory Guidelines for Candidates
Gbotoe emphasized stricter protocols for students and exam supervisors:
Arrival times: Candidates must arrive by 7:30 a.m. for morning papers and by 12:00 p.m. for afternoon sessions.
Identification: All candidates must wear official school uniforms.
Writing materials: Objective answer sheets must be completed with pencils only; essays must be written with blue or black pens.
Security checks: Students will be physically searched, and all instructions from supervisors must be followed.
Banned Practices and Items
The council issued zero tolerance for malpractice, warning against:
Pre-exam “camping” or paying unofficial fees for “flexibility.”
Possession of phones, textbooks, notes, or any unauthorized materials.
Tampering with scripts, cheating, tearing question papers, or seeking help from invigilators or peers.
Insulting or assaulting exam staff.
Government Steps In: Over 53,000 Students Sponsored
Gbotoe confirmed that the Liberian government has covered WAEC fees for all 53,210 registered candidates from 1,078 senior high schools—including three in Guinea. For the first time, Guinean schools will write their exams locally, thanks to a cross-border arrangement involving Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This year, 379 exam centers will be used across 155 institutions. Of the total candidates, 36,428 attend private schools and 18,201 are from public institutions.
Digital Future: Public Schools Go Online in 2026
In a bold move towards digitalization, WAEC announced that public school students in Liberia will take their WASSCE online beginning in 2026. The Ministry of Education has already equipped these schools with the necessary technology. However, private schools will continue with the paper-based format until their digital infrastructure improves.
WAEC says these reforms are part of broader efforts to modernize education, ensure fairness, and eliminate exam malpractice across West Africa.
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