Ghana rejoins West African peers for WASSCE, ending five-year solo run

After five years of conducting a domestic version of the crucial pre-tertiary examination, Ghana is set to rejoin the international community for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates (WASSCE-SC).

The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, has confirmed that the country will participate in the common May-June examination alongside four other West African nations. This move marks a significant shift back to the regionally harmonised academic calendar that was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“Yes, we are returning to the international exams, so we are writing in May-June with the other West African countries,” Prof. Davis stated in an interview with the Daily Graphic.

The decision brings Ghana back into alignment with its WAEC (West African Examinations Council) partners—Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia—all of whom have been working to restore their examination schedules to the traditional May-June timeline.

A Return to Normalcy After Pandemic Disruption

The global pandemic forced a historic shift in the examination calendar. In 2020, WAEC member countries postponed the WASSCE-SC to a July-September window, followed by an August-October schedule in 2021. In the years that followed, while other member nations successfully recalibrated their academic calendars, Ghana continued with a “Ghana Only” version of the examination, creating a temporary divergence in the region’s educational timeline.

Preparations for reintegration began last year, according to the GES Director-General, who spoke on the sidelines of the 2025 WAEC Distinction Awards. He confirmed that schools nationwide have been notified and are preparing candidates for the examination, which will commence next month with practical and project work components.

A Call for Academic Integrity and Excellence

With Ghana back on the regional stage, Prof. Davis expressed confidence in the abilities of Ghanaian students, setting a high target for them. “That is our hope, that is our belief. We are encouraging our students to do their best to continue to keep Ghana in the limelight,” he said, expressing his expectation that Ghanaian candidates will secure a place among the top three performing countries.

He took the opportunity to issue a strong advisory to students against seeking any form of external assistance. He urged them to rely on their own hard work and preparation.

“They should work hard; they can do it… We are encouraging the teachers to support them to prepare very well to pass their exams and pass very well by themselves,” Prof. Davis said.

The GES boss also delivered a firm warning against examination malpractice. He encouraged candidates to study diligently so that their results are a true reflection of their academic capabilities, which in turn provides educational authorities with accurate data on the health of the nation’s education system.

Background: The 2020 Disruption

The return to the regional exam format ends a period of divergence that began in March 2020. At that time, WAEC announced the suspension of the WASSCE-SC due to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health protocols implemented by member governments to curb its spread. At the point of suspension, over 357,000 candidates were registered to sit for the examination in April of that year.