Freetown, Sierra Leone – The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has announced the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, with shocking figures showing one of the worst-ever performances in English Language.
Minister Conrad Sackey revealed on national television that only 11.77 percent of candidates secured a credit or better in English, while a staggering 63 percent failed the subject outright.
A total of 148,313 candidates from 886 schoolsentered for the examination, a slight increase from 146,179 in 2024. However, the results released to the Ministry by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) covered only 143,985 candidates from 865 schools. This reduction followed the withholding of results for 20 private schools with 3,536 candidates owing fees to WAEC, and others withheld for suspected examination malpractice or corrupt activities.
High Absenteeism and Withheld Results
Of the candidates listed, 97,817 sat at least one subject, while 13,237 candidates had their results withheld. An unprecedented 35,020 candidates were absent from all subjects, raising serious questions about registration irregularities.
Education authorities described the absentee numbers as “unacceptable” and pledged to investigate school heads where absences were disproportionately high.
English Language Results: A National Concern
Performance in English Language continues to be dismal. Out of all candidates registered:
* Only 11.77% earned credits (A1–C6).
* 63.02% failed the subject outright.
* A shocking 41,269 candidates (27.83%) were absent from the English exam.
MBSSE officials warned that the poor English outcomes remain a critical barrier to university entry. “The figures reveal a systemic problem in teaching and learning English, which we must urgently address,” the Ministry said.
Mathematics Performance Mixed
In Mathematics, 46.71% obtained a credit or better, similar to 2024’s 46.3%. However, absenteeism was again high, with 42,870 candidates (28.91%) registered but absent. Authorities suspect many absentees were either repeaters or students fraudulently registered at multiple schools.
Overall Passes and University Entry
Despite the challenges, overall performance showed some improvement:
* Out of 800,468 subject papers sat, 591,583 were passed, giving a 74% paper pass rate, only slightly below 2024’s 76%.
* 47,434 candidates (52%) obtained at least five credits in a single sitting, compared to lower figures in previous years.
* 35,024 candidates met the requirements for entry into diploma and certificate courses by securing five credits including English Language or Mathematics.
* Only 7,024 candidates (up from 4,257 in 2024) met the stricter benchmark for direct university entry: five credits, including both English Language and Mathematics.
Top Performers and Best Schools
Despite the widespread failures, some schools and individuals shone:
* Best Candidate: Mariam Roselyn Jalloh of Modern Academy Senior School of Excellence, who sat nine subjects and scored 14 A1s, 3 B2s, and 2 B3s, with an average unit of 1.78.
* Second Best Candidate: Affuah-Jamese Russell of The International School Ltd., with six A1s, two B3s, and one C5.
* Best School: Kamboi Senior Secondary School, Kenema – all 10 candidates achieved at least five credits, including English and Mathematics.
* Kabala Christian Secondary School also had 100% university qualification rates, though many of its registered candidates were absent.
Crackdown on Malpractice and Corruption
The Ministry reported a reduction in withheld results compared to 2024 (down from 27,097 to 13,237), crediting stricter monitoring for curbing cheating. Nonetheless, it vowed continued vigilance:
* Principals who failed to upload Year 1 continuous assessment scores, preventing students from sitting, will face 12-month suspensions without pay from November 1, 2025.
* School heads found complicit in examination malpractice are being referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and ordered to refund government funds spent on ineligible candidates.
* The Ministry and WAEC have moved to close loopholes that allowed multiple registrations across schools, which led to inflated absentee numbers.
MBSSE’s Message
The Ministry acknowledged the hard work of the majority of teachers, principals, and candidates who succeeded without corruption. “There will be no hiding place for crooks and cheats,” the statement concluded. “The minority will not win. To the great majority of candidates who sat WASSCE 2025 legitimately — well done.”
