The West African Examinations Council has said that 32.72 per cent of candidates who sat for the 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for Private Candidates, First Series, obtained credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The figure represents 3,429 out of 10,480 candidates who participated in the nationwide examination held between January 28 and February 14, 2026.
Of the successful candidates, 1,847 were male (53.86%) and 1,582 female (46.14%), reflecting a fairly balanced gender performance.
Speaking on the results, WAEC on X on Friday described the outcome as a positive development.
“The performance improvement is the result of better preparation by candidates and our continued efforts to enhance the conduct of examinations. We remain committed to promoting academic excellence and maintaining the integrity of our processes,” WAEC said.
The 2026 performance also represents a 5.76% increase over the 2025 pass rate of 26.96%, showing steady progress in candidate achievement over the years.
The council noted that the rise from 30.95% in 2024 to the current figure reflects a growing trend of improved results among private candidates.
“Our goal is to ensure that all candidates, whether private or school-based, are provided with fair and credible examinations that uphold regional standards.
“We congratulate the candidates who met the benchmark and encourage those who did not to continue striving for success,” the exam body added.
With this performance, WAEC continues to reinforce its mandate of ensuring quality assessment and preparing candidates for both national and regional educational standards.
Meanwhile, it also announced that it has withheld the results of 75 candidates over alleged examination malpractice.
According to WAEC, the alleged malpractice cases are currently under investigation, and reports will be submitted to the appropriate committee of the council for review and final determination.
The examination body added that decisions taken by the committee will be communicated directly to the affected candidates after due process has been completed.
