The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has firmly dismissed reports claiming that it directed schools to restrict Senior Secondary students to specific subjects for the forthcoming 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adeshina, and signed on behalf of the Head of National Office, the Council described the circulating claims as “unfounded assumptions” and urged schools, parents, and the public to ignore them.
Recent social media posts had suggested that WAEC had ordered schools to limit students’ subject combinations for the 2026 examination. However, the Council clarified that such information did not originate from its office and should be treated as fake news.
“WAEC wishes to categorically distance itself from this unfounded assumption. The Council did not issue any such directive nor restrict students’ choices for WASSCE (SC) 2026,” the statement read.
WAEC further emphasised that it has no authority over the development or alteration of
senior secondary curricula, explaining that this responsibility belongs to the Federal Government through its designated education bodies.According to the Council, its role remains to implement government-approved curricula through its examinations and to operate within established legal and policy frameworks.
“The development and regulation of curricula in Nigeria fall strictly under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. WAEC merely implements approved policies through assessment,” the Council added.
Reassuring stakeholders, WAEC noted that any curriculum change would follow proper procedure and not be introduced arbitrarily.
Established in 1952, WAEC conducts examinations across five West African nations—Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia—and continues to uphold its long-standing reputation for fairness, transparency, and excellence in student assessment.
“Schools, stakeholders, and the public are advised to disregard misleading reports and rely only on official communications from WAEC regarding examination guidelines for WASSCE (SC) 2026,” the statement concluded.
The Council reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and equity, assuring that no student will be disadvantaged in the forthcoming examination cycle.
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