The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has warned schools, candidates, and the general public to ignore false messages circulating online claiming that specific schools’ results were canceled.
This follows growing anxiety after the release of the 2025 WASSCE results, which saw recorded a low pass rate and the withholding of over 190,000 results due to alleged malpractice.
In a post shared via its verified X account on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, WAEC stated that it has not issued any such notice.
“Kindly ignore any message listing schools whose results were supposedly cancelled. Meanwhile, WAEC will never ask any centre to bring scripts of candidates to the office. Where would they get them from?”
The Council also urged the public to disregard any unofficial updates not coming from its recognised platforms.
Backstory
According to reports, the viral letter dated August 4, 2025, and titled “Urgent notice to the following secondary schools regarding withheld results,” named specific institutions.
The letter claimed that the results of students from the listed schools were withheld due to malpractice and instructed principals of the mentioned institutions to report to WAEC’s Lagos Zonal Office within 10 working days.
Nairametrics reported that 192,089 candidates’ results representing 9.75% of total candidates were withheld over allegations of malpractice, including the use of mobile phones and evidence of organised cheating in exam halls.
Only 38.32% of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) obtained credits in five subjects including English Language and Mathematics.
“Out of the total number of candidates who took the 2025 WASSCE, 754,545 candidates, representing 38.32%, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.”
Reactions over pass rate
The low pass rate, especially in English Language, triggered widespread frustration among students, parents, and educators, with complaints about the way the English exam was conducted
During the English Language Paper 2 exam, WAEC postponed the scheduled May 28, 2025, sitting across many states including Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, and Taraba due to a reported leak of the exam question paper.
The delay pushed exams from their scheduled morning slot to as late at night, forcing students to write by torchlight and lanterns in pitch-dark classrooms
WAEC admitted the replacement of papers was necessary but acknowledged the chaotic fallout citing logistical constraints, security concerns, and socio‑cultural factors as additional contributors to the breakdown in exam administration
