Over 500,000 SHS students begin 2026 WASSCE across Ghana
More than 500,000 final-year Senior High School students across Ghana are preparing to sit for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which begins with the Oral English paper.
The 2026 edition of the examination also signals Ghana’s return to the regional WASSCE structure alongside other West African nations after years of administering separate examinations due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The West African Examinations Council has indicated that all arrangements have been finalised to ensure the smooth conduct of the exams across the country.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, stated that strict measures had been implemented to protect the credibility of the examination process, including delaying the printing of question papers for security purposes.
“In terms of preparations, we are well on track. For security reasons, we postponed the printing of the exam papers because we do not want them released too early to avoid any attempts to compromise the integrity of the exams,” he explained.
Mr Kapi also reassured candidates, parents and school authorities that all examination materials had been prepared and would reach the various centres on time.
“Everything required for the exams at every institution is ready. We are confident that we will stay on schedule and follow the timetable we have released,” he added.
Over the years, WAEC has stepped up efforts to combat examination malpractice through tighter security protocols, improved monitoring systems and stronger collaboration with security agencies.
The examination is expected to be conducted at hundreds of centres nationwide, with candidates taking both core and elective subjects over the next few weeks.
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