The Head of Public Relations at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), John Kapi, has said the decline in performance, particularly in Social Studies and Core Mathematics in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) as contained in the provisional results released at the weekend, was a reflection of the significant gap in students’ understanding and the ability to apply knowledge.
Speaking in a television interview with TV3 on the programme Big Issues, Mr Kapi said, “candidates who relied solely on "rote learning," struggled to apply their knowledge in the 2025 exams.
“The questions required explanation in addition to factual recall, much like standards expected at the tertiary level. Those who were unable to adapt found subjects such as Social Studies particularly challenging,” he said.
He also said there was strict monitoring to prevent malpractice in the 2025 exams compared to the previous years.
He added that stricter supervision during the exams contributed to this year’s results. “In previous years, some candidates received unauthorised assistance from teachers or gained access to leaked questions on social media. With the Ministry of Education’s warnings and tighter monitoring, candidates had to depend entirely on their own effort,” he noted.
WAEC deployed additional monitors nationwide while collaborating with Ghana Education Service officials to curb irregularities.
Mr. Kapi urged schools and parents to strengthen preparation strategies in the coming years.
- Related articles:
- WAEC releases 2025 WASSCE provisional results; subject results of 6,295 candidates cancelled
- WASSCE 2025: Enhanced supervision led to genuine results, not malpractice - GES
- 2025 WASSCE results confirm fluctuating performance in core subjects over 4-year period
