Omanghana
The West African Examinations Council has expressed concern about the inconsistent performance of candidates in core subjects in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
The examining body is calling for comprehensive research to establish why high failure rates continue to shift from one subject to another each year.
WAEC’s Director of Public Affairs, John Kapi, said explanations contained in annual Chief Examiners’ reports were no longer sufficient to account for the unpredictable changes in candidates’ results.
He noted that recent performance data does not show a consistent decline or improvement across all four core subjects. Instead, some subjects record significant gains while others experience sharp declines during the same examination period.
Core Mathematics, for example, recorded a noticeable improvement, while candidates’ performance in English Language declined substantially.
An assessment of results between 2023 and 2026 also revealed a sustained decline in English Language. Performance in Core Mathematics, Integrated Science and Social Studies, however, fluctuated considerably over the period.
The changes recorded in Social Studies were particularly concerning because the subject had previously been considered one of the core areas in which candidates consistently performed well.
WAEC said reports from examiners suggest that many of the weaknesses affecting candidates’ performance in English Language are connected to foundational skills they should have acquired at the basic school level.
According to the council, most aspects of the English Language examination build directly on competencies taught during basic education. Summary writing is among the few major components introduced at the senior high school level.
The trend has raised questions about the quality of teaching, students’ understanding of basic concepts and the methods used to prepare candidates for the examination.
WAEC said a deeper investigation was needed to move beyond the routine analysis of examination scripts and identify the underlying factors responsible for the inconsistent outcomes.
The proposed research is expected to examine teaching methods, foundational comprehension, curriculum delivery and examination preparation across senior high schools.
The council believes the findings could help education authorities and schools develop targeted interventions to improve performance and prevent failure rates from repeatedly shifting among the four core subjects.
Source: Omanghana
