President John Dramani Mahama has said the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results are a more accurate reflection of students’ academic performance following a significant reduction in examination malpractice.

He said improved invigilation had helped curb the mass cheating that previously allowed some candidates to receive undue assistance during examinations.

Mass failure

A total of 102,962 individual subject results in the four core subjects of the 2026 WASSCE have either been cancelled or withheld by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), raising fresh concerns about the number of candidates whose progression to tertiary education could be affected by unresolved examination cases.

The figure represents the cumulative number of outstanding results in Core Mathematics, English Language, Integrated Science and Social Studies, based on the difference between the 507,813 candidates who sat each of the four core papers and the number of results released for each subject.

The scale of the outstanding results is particularly significant because some of the affected candidates may have otherwise obtained grades A1-C6, the credit passes generally required for admission to universities and other tertiary institutions.

For candidates whose results are being withheld pending investigations, the continued uncertainty could delay their ability to determine their next academic step, particularly where admission decisions depend on their WASSCE results.

The issue also raises questions about the timing of WAEC’s investigations and whether candidates whose results are being investigated should have to remain uncertain about their academic future while the cases are being processed.

Mahama reacts

President Mahama made the remarks on Saturday, September 12, 2026, during a citizens’ engagement at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies in the Upper West Region as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour.

The President said performance had improved in several subjects, including Mathematics and Social Studies, although he noted a slight decline in Social Studies that government was investigating.

He maintained that the improved examination controls were now exposing students’ actual level of preparedness.

“One thing that I’m happy and proud of is that we’re seeing our children’s true results,” he said.

President Mahama accused some headteachers and other officials of previously conniving to assist candidates during examinations, resulting in students obtaining grades that did not reflect their actual abilities.

He said the practice had contributed to students progressing to higher levels of education without acquiring the necessary foundational skills.

“And so today we’re seeing the real results of our children because invigilation has improved and the mass cheating in exams you know has been curtailed,” he said.

The President stressed that students must earn their results through learning and that examination grades should reflect their actual academic abilities.