WAEC Is Failing Our Students, Not the Other Way Around

Congratulations in advance to all WASSCE candidates. Regardless of what happens, remember that an examination does not define your intelligence, your potential, or your future.

Every year, thousands of Ghanaian students prepare for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), arguably the most important examination in their academic journey. It is the examination that determines university admission, scholarship opportunities, and future career paths.

As someone who has experienced the pressure of WASSCE, I understand the sacrifices students make. They spend months studying, revising, attending extra classes, and trying to cover a vast syllabus accumulated over three years of Senior High School education. Yet, despite these efforts, many students are placed under enormous stress by the very system that is supposed to assess them fairly.

After the 2026 Core Mathematics examination, I spoke with several candidates. Many expressed frustration, confusion, and exhaustion. Some complained about writing Integrated Science shortly before Mathematics, while others spoke about the emotional and physical toll of sitting multiple major examinations within a very short period.

The 2026 WASSCE timetable compelled students to write

1. Social Studies on 2 June
2. Core Mathematics on 3 June
3. Government on 4 June
4. Geography on 5 June

For students offering these subjects, this meant facing four demanding examinations on four consecutive days.

This raises an important question: What factors does WAEC consider when designing examination timetables?

WASSCE is not an end-of-semester examination. It is a cumulative assessment of everything students have learned from SHS 1 through SHS 3. Candidates are expected to recall and apply knowledge acquired over a period of three years. Given the importance and scope of the examination, students deserve sufficient time between papers to prepare adequately.

The current scheduling system places unnecessary pressure on candidates. Many students stay up late studying because they have little time to prepare for the next paper. Others experience stress-related illnesses, fatigue, anxiety, and burnout. These are young people striving to secure their futures, not machines programmed to operate without rest.

A fair assessment system should measure knowledge and understanding, not a student's ability to survive exhaustion.

WAEC should seriously consider introducing at least two to three days between major examination papers. Such intervals would allow candidates to revise effectively, recover mentally and physically, and approach each subject with adequate preparation.

Additionally, the examination timetable should be structured in a way that balances core and elective subjects rather than clustering several demanding papers within the same week. This would create a more student-friendly examination environment and provide a more accurate reflection of students' academic abilities.

The purpose of education is not merely to test students but to help them demonstrate what they have learned. When examination schedules become excessively demanding, the assessment risks measuring stress tolerance rather than academic competence.

WAEC has a responsibility not only to maintain standards but also to ensure fairness. A timetable that gives students adequate preparation time is not a privilege; it is a necessity.

If we truly want the best from our students, then we must create conditions that allow them to perform at their best.

The conversation about educational reform in Ghana must include how we schedule our national examinations. Our students deserve nothing less.

This version is suitable for publication as an opinion article in newspapers, education blogs, or online media platforms in Ghana.

Stephen Agbemasiku is an MPhil Economics Candidate at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. His research interests span international economics, sustainability, education, and macroeconomics. (email: [email protected])