WAEC Denies Restricting Subjects for 2026 WASSCE Students

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has rejected claims suggesting it issued a directive limiting Senior Secondary students to particular subjects for the upcoming 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates.

A statement released on Tuesday by the acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adeshina, on behalf of the Head of the National Office, WAEC labeled the reports as “unfounded assumptions” and urged both schools and the public to ignore them.

In light of recent social media claims implying that schools had been instructed to restrict students’ subject choices for the 2026 examination, WAEC reiterated that these assertions are false and not published by the Council.

The examination body clarified that it does not provide directives pertaining to the development or alteration of senior secondary curricula, which is solely the responsibility of the Federal Government through appropriate educational authorities.

“WAEC wishes to clearly distance itself from this baseless assumption and the rumors circulating about this matter. The Council did not issue any such directive(s) or limit the subjects that students may choose for WASSCE (SC) 2026 as claimed,” the statement indicated.

It stressed that WAEC’s duties are confined to executing government-approved curricula through its examinations and that it strictly operates within the legal and operational frameworks established by the Nigerian government.

“The formulation and regulation of curricula in Nigeria fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. WAEC, as an examination entity, only steps in to carry out government policies via assessment,” it added.

The Council also reassured stakeholders that any changes to the curriculum would adhere to the proper procedures and would not be implemented arbitrarily.

Established in 1952, WAEC conducts examinations in five West African nations—Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia—and has upheld a reputation for fairness and integrity in student evaluation.

“Schools, stakeholders, and the wider public are thus encouraged to discount the misleading reports and rely exclusively on official communications from the Council for accurate details regarding examination protocols for WASSCE (SC) 2026,” the statement concluded.

The Council reaffirmed its dedication to professionalism, excellence, and the fair assessment of all candidates, ensuring that no student will be disadvantaged in the upcoming examination.