2023 WASSCE results best in four years — WAEC

This year’s results of the West African Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) for School Candidates have been the best in four years, with the majority of candidates obtaining grades A1-C6 in the four core subjects: English Language, Social Studies, Integrated Science and Mathematics.

In English Language, 73.11 per cent of the candidates obtained grades A1-C6 this year as against 60.39 per cent in 2022, 54.08 per cent in 2021 and 57.34 per cent in 2020.

For Mathematics, the total candidature with grades A1-C6 this year is 62.23 per cent, while 61.39 per cent and 54.11 per cent obtained those grades in 2022 and 2021 respectively.

Candidates, however, recorded a better performance of 65.71 per cent in Mathematics in 2020. 

Others

In Integrated Science, 66.82 per cent of the 2023 candidates recorded grades A1-C6 as against 62.45 per cent in 2022, 65.70 per cent in 2021 and 52.53 per cent in 2020.

A total of 76.76 per cent of the candidates this year had grades A1-C6 in Social Studies, with previous years recording 71.51 per cent in 2022, 66.03 per cent in 2021 and 64.31 per cent in 2020 for the same grades.        

A total of 448,674 candidates, made up of 212,453 males and 236,221 females from 975 schools, entered for the 2023 WASSCE for School Candidates.

The figure was 5.8 per cent higher than the 2022 entry figure of 422,883. 

Absentees

A total of 3,404 (0.75 per cent) were absent from the examination, a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), John Kapi, and issued in Accra yesterday said.

It indicated that 325,280 candidates (73.11 per cent) scored between A1-C6 in English Language in the 2023 WASSCE for School Candidates.

Some 32,408 (7.28 per cent) of the candidates had Grade D7, while 21,153 (4.75 per cent) had E8 and 23,509 (5.28 per cent) had F9 in English Language.  

For Core Mathematics, 276,272 (62.23 per cent) candidates obtained grades A1-C6; 36,373 (8.19 per cent) had Grade D7; 33,262 (7.49 per cent) had Grade E8 and then 39,517 (8.90 per cent), Grade F9.

For Integrated Science, 296,466 (66.82 per cent) obtained grades A1-C6, with 38,938 (8.78 per cent) having Grade D7. Up to 26,566 (5.99 per cent) had Grade E8, and then 25,029 (5.64 per cent) with Grade F9 in the subject.

In Social Studies, 340,867 (76.76 per cent) had grades A1-C6, while 29,470 (6.64 per cent) obtained Grade D7; 19,616 (4.42 per cent) had Grade E8, and then 26,186 (5.90 per cent), Grade F9.

Sanctions

The statement said the subject results of candidates from 235 schools had been withheld for allegedly using artificial intelligence (AI) generated answers.

The council said it cancelled the subject results of 647 candidates for bringing foreign materials such as prepared notes, textbooks and printed materials into the examination halls.

It said 839 candidates also had their results cancelled for possessing mobile phones in the examination halls.

It added that the council withheld the subject results of 4,280 candidates and the entire results of 1,005 others for various offences.

The statement said the withheld results of the candidates might be released or cancelled depending on the outcome of investigations.

“The council will make available login details to heads of school to enable them to access the results of their candidates.

“The results have been posted online, and candidates who so desire may access their results at the council's website www.waecgh.org,” it said.

The results of 4,878 candidates, WAEC said, had been blocked for failing to return learning support materials supplied to them by their schools.

“Such candidates are to contact their schools.

“The council would like to caution all its stakeholders to be wary of fraudsters who promise to upgrade results for a fee.

Candidates are to note that WAEC results are secured and can be authenticated using its results verification system.

 The WAEC QR code can be downloaded and used to verify results,” it said.