JUST IN: WAEC Debunk Restricting Subjects For 2025/26 Candidates

JUST IN: WAEC Debunk Restricting Subjects For 2025/26 Candidates

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has refuted claims that it issued a directive restricting Senior Secondary students to specific subjects for the upcoming 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates.

In a statement released on Tuesday by the Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adeshina, on behalf of the Head of National Office, the Council described the reports as “baseless and misleading,” urging schools and the general public to disregard them.

Responding to viral social media claims that schools were instructed to limit students’ subject combinations, WAEC clarified that such information did not originate from the Council and should be treated as false.

The examination body explained that it has no authority to dictate or alter senior secondary school curricula, noting that curriculum development is the sole responsibility of the Federal Government through the appropriate educational agencies.

“WAEC wishes to categorically distance itself from this unfounded assumption and the information making the rounds on the said subject. The Council did not issue any such directive(s) nor restrict the choice of students to offer any particular subject(s) for WASSCE (SC) 2026 as alleged,” the statement read.

WAEC emphasised that its role is confined to conducting examinations based on government-approved curricula and that it strictly adheres to the legal and operational guidelines established by the Nigerian government.

“The development and regulation of Curricula in Nigeria is within the purview of the Federal Government. WAEC, as an examination body, only comes in to implement government policies via assessment,” it added.

The Council further assured stakeholders that any future curriculum changes would follow due process and would never be implemented arbitrarily.

Established in 1952, WAEC conducts examinations across five West African nations—Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia—and has continued to uphold its reputation for integrity and fairness in assessment.

“Schools, stakeholders, and the general public are hereby advised to disregard the misleading reports and rely solely on official communications from the Council for accurate information regarding examination guidelines for WASSCE (SC) 2026,” the statement concluded.

Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and equity, WAEC assured that no student would be placed at a disadvantage in the forthcoming 2026 examination.