• WAEC withholds results of 192,089 over exam fraud; 2 states penalised for non-payment of fees
The mass failure recorded in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has sparked widespread shock and outrage among stakeholders, as only 38.32 per cent of candidates obtained five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
According to the results announced by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Monday, 1,973,365 candidates sat for the May/June examination, but 1,218,820 of them failed to secure the benchmark five credits required for admission into tertiary institutions.
Reactions from educationists, school proprietors, and parents underscored deep concern over the alarming trend.
President of the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Mr. Emmanuel Oji, described the situation as a wake-up call for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s education system.
“It’s alarming that less than 50 per cent of students achieved the desired passes, raising questions about the effectiveness of our current methods,” he said.
“Our education system needs a redirection towards economic skills, character development, and patriotism. Without that, we will keep running in circles.”
He attributed the failure rate to factors including inadequate preparation, cramming, insufficient study materials, and poor teaching methods.
Similarly, Mrs. Ronke Akintunde, Proprietor of Royal Academy, Mushin, Lagos, said she was yet to recover from the “shock” of the results.
“I read the statistics three times to be sure of what I was seeing. This is an abysmal performance. The government must ask questions,” she said.
A concerned parent, Elder Sunday Nnamdi, insisted that both WAEC and the government must explain the woeful performance.
“I expected better results this year. Instead, 61.68 per cent failed. It is an indictment on both schools and WAEC,” he said.
Announcing the results in Lagos, WAEC’s Head of National Office (HNO), Dr. Amos Dangut, confirmed that 754,545 candidates, representing 38.32 per cent, secured credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The analysis showed that:
1,718,090 candidates (87.24 per cent) obtained credits in at least five subjects, with or without English and Mathematics.
Male candidates accounted for 46.01 per cent (347,192), while females made up 53.99 per cent (407,353).
Candidates with special needs totalled 12,178, including 615 with impaired hearing, 52 spastic or mentally challenged, and 37 physically challenged.
Dangut said the 2025 performance represents a 33.8 per cent decline compared to 2024, when 72.12 per cent of candidates achieved five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
WAEC also revealed that the results of 192,089 candidates, representing 9.75 per cent of the total, have been withheld for suspected examination malpractice. This is slightly lower than the 11.92 per cent recorded in 2024.
Dangut noted that the increasing use of mobile phones in exam halls and organised cheating in some schools remain serious challenges.
“All the cases are under investigation. Reports will be presented to the council’s committee, and decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their schools,” he said.
He warned that the council would continue to impose strict sanctions on schools, teachers, and candidates caught in malpractice.
Accessing Results and Digital Certificates
WAEC advised that candidates who fulfilled their financial obligations can access their results via www.waecdirect.org within 12 hours of the announcement. Digital certificates will be available 48 hours after online checks.
The marking of scripts took place between July 3 and July 21, 2025, with 87,499 examiners and 2,706 e-examiners participating.
