The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has dismissed reports alleging that it issued a directive restricting senior secondary students to specific subjects for the forthcoming 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School (WASSCE).
WAEC’s acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adeshina, issued a statement on Tuesday that was signed on behalf of the Head of National Office, describing the claims as “unfounded assumptions” and urging schools and the general public to dismiss them.
Following recent social media rumors claiming that schools had been asked to limit students’ subject combinations for the 2026 exam, WAEC emphasized that such assertions were untrue and were not issued by the council.
The examination organization stressed that it does not provide directives on the development or alteration of senior secondary curricula, since that is primarily the duty of the Federal Government through appropriate education authorities.
“WAEC wishes to categorically distance itself from this unfounded assumption and the information making the rounds on the said subject. The Council did not issue any such directive(s) nor restrict the choice of students to offer any particular subject(s) for WASSCE (SC) 2026 as alleged,” the statement read.
It highlighted that WAEC’s responsibility was confined to delivering government-approved curricula through its tests and that it adhered fully to the Nigerian government’s legal and operational frameworks.
“The development and regulation of curricula in Nigeria is within the purview of the Federal Government. WAEC, as an examination body, only comes in to implement government policies via assessment,” it added.
The Council also promised stakeholders that any curriculum changes would be implemented in accordance with due process, rather than arbitrarily.
WAEC, founded in 1952, administers exams in five West African countries—Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia—and has built a reputation for impartiality and trustworthiness in student grading.
“Schools, stakeholders, and the general public are hereby advised to disregard the misleading reports and rely solely on official communications from the Council for accurate information regarding examination guidelines for WASSCE (SC) 2026,” the statement concluded.
The Council underlined its commitment to professionalism, competence, and fair evaluation of all applicants, ensuring that no student will be disadvantaged in the upcoming exam.
