WAEC 2026: Schools and Parents Seek Review of CB-WASSCE Results

Several schools, parents and education stakeholders have raised concerns over the recently released results of the 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE), calling on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to review the results.

The concerns, which have been reported in different parts of the country, centre mainly on what some schools and parents described as unexpectedly low grades recorded by students in key subjects, particularly English Language and Mathematics.

Some schools reportedly wrote to the Head of the WAEC National Office (HNO), Dr Amos Dangut, requesting a review of the results, while parents have also mounted pressure on school authorities to seek clarification from the examination body.

Officials of some schools in Oyo and Ogun states confirmed that parents had raised concerns over the performance of their wards, particularly students who had consistently performed well in internal examinations and previous academic assessments.

According to one of the school officials, some high-performing students who were expected to obtain strong grades in the examination recorded C grades in some subjects.

“Our bright students are downcast by the outcome of the results. These students from JSS 1 have dominated their classes, including the mock exams and junior WAEC.

“Specifically, in the junior WAEC, many of them cleared the examination, and in the senior classes, they have been outstanding. We expected a good grade from them. But we suspect glitches in their marks,” the official said.

A school in Abuja also expressed concerns over the results of some of its students, with its head of science attributing the unexpected performance to suspected software-related issues.

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The school official said some parents had approached the school to question the results of their children, noting that the outcome was below the school’s expectations.

Similar concerns have also emerged from some schools in Lagos, particularly those whose students participated in the computer-based version of the examination.

In Ikotun, Lagos, some parents reportedly demanded explanations from their children’s school after students who were expected to perform well recorded lower grades than anticipated.

The concerns have also spread online, with some students and parents calling for explanations from WAEC. Many of the complaints reportedly relate to English Language and Mathematics, with some affected students said to be science students planning to pursue science-related courses at the university.

A parent, Lekan Sogunle, said he encouraged his daughter’s school to petition WAEC for a review of the result.

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Sogunle said his daughter had consistently performed well from JSS 1 through SS 3, excelled in the Junior WAEC, participated successfully in inter-school competitions and emerged as her school’s valedictorian.

He expressed concern over the grades she obtained in the CB-WASSCE, particularly because she is a science student.

Another parent, Alhaja Ramota Sadiku, also questioned the English Language and Mathematics results of her son, citing his strong academic performance throughout his secondary education.

Sadiku said she contacted the school to demand an explanation and that other parents had raised similar concerns through the school’s communication platform.

Meanwhile, a group comprising concerned schools, parents, educators and other stakeholders has reportedly petitioned WAEC, calling for a comprehensive review of the 2026 CB-WASSCE results.

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The group said some schools had observed unusually poor performances, particularly in English Language and Mathematics, which they claimed were inconsistent with candidates’ academic records, mock examination performances and level of preparation.

It called on WAEC to conduct an independent audit of the computer-based examination process and review the scoring, transmission, processing and collation mechanisms used in the examination.

The group argued that such a review was necessary to protect the interests of candidates and restore confidence in the examination system, particularly if any unresolved technical or processing issues were found to have affected the results.

More schools and candidates have reportedly submitted requests for the review of results, with some school principals urging WAEC to investigate the complaints.

One principal said the affected candidates were among those who sat for the computer-based version of the examination and were confident of obtaining good grades based on their previous academic performance.

The development has also led to a 14-day ultimatum issued to WAEC by the Initiative for School Excellence and Education Foundation, which demanded a review of the 2026 CB-WASSCE results or face legal action.

The group also called on WAEC to preserve examination records, provide affected candidates with access to their electronic records and subject the computer-based examination and result-processing systems to independent verification.

The group’s position was contained in a letter from its lawyers and shared on X by EduCare Chief Executive Officer, Alex Onyia, who had previously raised concerns over the examination results.

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However, WAEC has maintained that there was no glitch in the processing of the candidates’ results.

Dangut, in a message to journalists, said dissatisfied schools could apply for a review of the marking, as is applicable in academic examinations.

“We don’t have any glitch in the processing of candidates’ results. Just as in all academic institutions, dissatisfied schools may wish to apply for a review of the marking,” he said.

WAEC had announced that 1,950,726 candidates sat for the 2026 CB-WASSCE in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea. But 1,200,514 candidates, representing 61.54 per cent of the total, obtained credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

The council also disclosed that 1,687,378 candidates, representing 86.50 per cent, obtained credits in at least five subjects, with or without English Language and Mathematics.

According to WAEC, the results of 1,834,695 candidates, representing 94.05 per cent, had been fully processed and released, while the results of 116,031 candidates, representing 5.95 per cent, had one or more subjects still being processed due to issues being resolved.