The West African Examinations Council is facing questions over the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination results after schools and education stakeholders raised concerns about alleged grading errors and technical issues.
The complaints came after the release of the results for school candidates. Some school administrators claimed that several high-performing students received lower grades than expected.
Schools raise concerns over results
The Director of Impact House Model Schools, Mowe, Ogun State, Sam Abdulazeez, said his school noticed a drop in students’ WASSCE performance in 2025 and 2026. He said the school had presented candidates for WASSCE since 2017 and had recorded strong results in subjects such as Mathematics and English Language.
According to Abdulazeez, all 45 candidates presented by the school for Mathematics in 2024 scored A1. However, he said the results changed after WAEC introduced serialisation and expanded Computer-Based Testing. He noted that more than 30 of the school’s 69 JAMB candidates scored above 300 in the 2026 UTME. None scored below 200.
The school also conducted 22 mock UTME examinations to prepare students for computer-based testing. Despite the preparation, Abdulazeez said only about three or four students obtained A1 in Mathematics in the 2026 WASSCE. He said the school also recorded unexpected results in English Language. According to him, some students who performed strongly in JAMB received lower grades in WASSCE.
School reports CBT technical problems
Abdulazeez also raised concerns about technical problems during a WAEC mock examination. He said WAEC officials visited the school to test the computer-based system. However, the system failed to connect to the council’s server on the first day. The problem continued during the second attempt. The school later contacted WAEC officials in Ogun State and Lagos. Abdulazeez said the school expressed concerns about using the system for the examination.
WAEC eventually approved a paper-based examination for the school, despite its earlier inclusion in the CBT programme. He also alleged that similar concerns affected the school’s 2025 WASSCE results. According to him, some grades appeared to change on the results portal after the school had initially checked and published the results.
Stakeholders demand independent review
Another school administrator, who requested anonymity, said some students with strong UTME scores received D7, E8 and F9 in core WASSCE subjects. The administrator claimed that two affected students had already secured admission to the University of Ibadan before receiving poor grades in Mathematics and English Language.
Educationist Fola Adekeye urged WAEC to ensure that its examination process meets the required standards of integrity. He said examination bodies should investigate complaints rather than wait for public pressure before taking action. Adekeye also called for clearer communication when examination bodies introduce new technology, curricula or assessment methods.
Meanwhile, the Initiative for School Excellence and Education Foundation has threatened legal action against WAEC over alleged irregularities in the 2026 Computer-Based WASSCE. Through its lawyers, Zuriel Law Practice, the organisation demanded the preservation of electronic records linked to the examination. The group requested access to candidate response databases, system audit trails, server logs and scoring records.
It also called for an independent audit of the CBT platform and a process that would allow affected candidates to review their examination records. The lawyers gave WAEC 14 days to respond. They warned that failure to act could lead to court proceedings.
WAEC defends 2026 results
WAEC has rejected claims that its 2026 results lack credibility. The council said the results followed its established marking, moderation and auditing procedures. It also said the examination was conducted in line with its standard operating procedures and relevant education policies.
WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, urged candidates, parents and schools to avoid relying on unverified claims circulating on social media. She said every candidate’s script passed through several stages of marking and moderation. Vetted subject experts supervised the process using standardised marking schemes.
The council advised candidates with concerns about their results to contact WAEC directly through its offices and verified communication channels. The latest controversy adds to growing concerns about Nigeria’s examination system. In 2025, former JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, publicly apologised after errors affected the 2025 UTME results.
Read also: WAEC withholds 167,486 2026 WASSCE results over examination malpractice
