2025 WASSCE: approximately 25% of candidates failed Core Mathematics
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised alarm following the release of the provisional 2025 WASSCE results, which show a sharp spike in the number of candidates scoring Grade F9 across all four core subjects compared to 2024.
According to the official data, the proportion of students who completely failed Core Mathematics has surged dramatically—jumping from 6.10% in 2024 to a staggering 26.77% in 2025, nearly a fourfold increase.
Social Studies recorded a similarly troubling trend, with its F9 rate almost tripling from 9.55% last year to 27.50% this year.
These significant jumps in failure rates reflect a major decline in foundational academic performance among the 461,736 candidates who sat for the exam. The steepest rise occurred in the core subjects required for tertiary admissions.
Core Mathematics recorded the most alarming increase, with the F9 rate soaring by 20.67 percentage points, meaning nearly one in every four candidates failed the subject outright.
Social Studies also saw a severe escalation, climbing from 9.55% to 27.50%—an increase of 188% in just one year.
WAEC’s report underscores growing concerns about the state of basic education and the preparedness of students for higher academic pursuits.
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