WAEC 2025: Only 38.32% Pass With Five Credits Including English and Maths

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced the release of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results for school candidates, revealing a significant drop in overall performance compared to the previous year.

According to figures released by the Council, only 754,545 out of 1,969,313 candidates, representing 38.32 percent  obtained the minimum benchmark of five credits, including English Language and Mathematics. This marks a sharp decline of 33.8 percent from the 72.12 percent recorded in 2024.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday at WAEC’s national headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, the Head of Nigeria National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, said the drop in performance was largely due to the Council’s newly adopted strategy of serialising objective test papers in key subjects such as English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Economics.

“This approach drastically reduced the incidence of collusion and made examination malpractice more difficult,” Dr Dangut explained. “We observed a dip in performance in the objective sections, but essay papers remained consistent with previous years. It’s a strong signal that candidates must rely on their own preparation.”

The 2025 examination was conducted between April 24 and June 20, with coordination and marking completed between July 3 and 21. WAEC also introduced a real-time digital scoring system to improve the speed and accuracy of result processing.

Out of the total number of candidates, 1,517,517 (77.06 percent) had their results fully processed and released. However, 451,796 results (22.94 percent) are still being processed due to technical issues, which the Council said will be resolved in the coming days.

In terms of examination malpractice, 192,089 results, representing 9.75 percent, are currently being withheld for offenses such as the use of mobile phones and collusion. This figure shows a slight improvement compared to the 11.92 percent withheld in 2024.

“These unscrupulous elements have become a thorn in the Council’s flesh,” Dangut stated. “Some even use our name to distribute fake messages. We’ve apprehended some of them, and appropriate sanctions will be applied.”

WAEC also warned that states owing the Council will not be able to access the results of their sponsored candidates until outstanding debts are cleared.

A total of 12,178 candidates with special needs participated in the examination. Among them were 112 visually impaired, 615 with hearing difficulties, 52 mentally challenged, and 37 with physical disabilities. WAEC assured that all were provided with the necessary support to enable them to write the exam successfully.

Regarding gender distribution, 976,787 candidates (49.60 percent) were male, while 992,526 (50.40 percent) were female. Of those who passed with five credits including English and Mathematics, female candidates outperformed their male counterparts, accounting for 407,353 (53.99 percent), compared to 347,192 (46.01 percent) males.

In a move towards full digitisation by 2026, WAEC this year introduced a computer-based test (CBT) option for candidates, alongside the traditional paper-and-pencil method.

“This year’s exam places us as a foremost examining body to have conducted an achievement test using a computer-based format,” Dangut said.

The results release was made known via their official X (formerly Twitter) handle. Candidates have been advised to check their results by visiting the Council’s official result portal at [www.waecdirect.org](http://www.waecdirect.org).

PUNCH