Freetown, Sierra Leone – February 25, 2026 – The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has released a public notice emphasizing the critical need for school heads to upload cleared candidates for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Batch Registration System (BRS) by the stipulated deadline.
In the notice, dated today and signed by Chief Education Officer Edward M. Kpakra, the ministry reminds all heads of senior secondary schools that it has completed the verification and clearance process for eligible WASSCE school candidates.
School leaders are strongly urged to ensure that any legitimate candidate officially cleared by the ministry is uploaded to the BRS no later than February 28, 2026.
The directive outlines severe consequences for non-compliance. According to the notice, any head of school who fails to upload a duly cleared candidate will be held personally responsible for the omission.
In cases where affected candidates are compelled to register as private WASSCE entrants, the full cost of registration will be borne by the responsible school head.
Furthermore, defaulting heads could face significant administrative and disciplinary penalties, in accordance with the Education Act 2023 and the Teaching Service Commission Code of Conduct.
The ministry stresses that these sanctions will apply even if cleared candidates are later permitted to sit the examination in their schools during subsequent years.
“This matter is treated with the highest level of seriousness, as failure to upload eligible candidates undermines government investment in education and unfairly disadvantages pupils,” the notice states.
It advises all heads of schools to ensure strict compliance and to immediately rectify any outstanding upload issues.
For further clarification, school heads are directed to contact their respective District Education Offices.
This notice comes amid ongoing efforts by the Sierra Leone government to streamline educational processes and ensure equitable access to examinations. The WASSCE, administered by WAEC, is a key qualification for senior secondary students across West Africa, and timely registration is essential to avoid disruptions for thousands of pupils nationwide.
