Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), John Kapi, has announced that a total of 473,658 final-year Senior High School (SHS) students from Ghana will sit the 2026 May–June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates.

The candidates will join their counterparts from Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, marking Ghana’s return to the regional examination system after five years of administering a Ghana-only version due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a report by graphic.com.gh on April 14, 2026, Kapi explained that the development does not alter the structure of the examination, noting that all member countries will now write the same papers simultaneously.

“Simply, it means that we are all writing at the same time. That is all; nothing has changed,” he said.

He added that the examination remains international in nature, with all member countries involved in its preparation, particularly in moderating questions and compiling the final papers.

“We need to understand certain basic facts about the examinations that we conduct. The examinations are international in nature, which means that we involve every member country in our preparatory stages, especially when it comes to the moderation of questions and compilation,” he stated.

Ghana to return to May-June WASSCE school calendar

Kapi further explained that international panels are responsible for setting standards and grading candidates, ensuring fairness and competitiveness across the sub-region.

“International partners determine these standards before results are published, as there is competition among candidates across countries,” he said.

On security, he noted that measures have been strengthened to safeguard the integrity of the examination process, particularly at printing and storage facilities.

“We have internal security in place at all times. During the printing process, there is 24/7 police presence, with additional support from the National Investigations Bureau during working hours,” he indicated.

He added that access to sensitive areas is strictly controlled.

“To even enter the printing hall, there is a dress code; it does not matter who you are,” he noted.

Kapi also highlighted the use of CCTV surveillance and secure depots for storing examination materials, with security personnel deployed to guard sealed scripts.

He appealed to stakeholders to support efforts to curb examination malpractice, warning of its long-term consequences.

“If students are allowed to cheat at this stage, they may carry that behaviour into later stages of life,” he cautioned.

He added that measures such as question serialisation are being used to minimise malpractice.

“Once you adopt serialisation, you solve the problem to a very large extent,” he explained.

WAEC has urged teachers, parents, and community leaders to support the conduct of credible examinations across the sub-region.

MRA/VPO

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