The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has dismissed claims that technical glitches during the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) contributed to candidates’ poor performance.
The council said the decline in candidates’ results was largely linked to strengthened anti-malpractice measures introduced during the examination.
The development comes amid growing concerns from parents, school proprietors and education stakeholders over the 2026 WASSCE results.
WAEC’s Nigeria National Office reportedly maintained that the examination process was conducted with integrity and that there was no systemic technical failure capable of explaining the results being recorded by candidates.
The council’s position followed complaints from some schools and parents, who questioned whether the transition to computer-based testing and other examination procedures affected candidates’ performance.
However, stakeholders have continued to call for an independent review of the 2026 WASSCE results to establish the reasons behind the unusually poor outcomes reported by some schools.
The controversy has also placed renewed attention on the preparedness of schools, teachers and candidates for the increasing use of computer-based examinations.
The 2026 WASSCE debate is expected to continue as stakeholders seek greater transparency over the examination process and the factors responsible for candidates’ performance.
The development was reported by The Guardian on September 6, 2026.
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