The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised concerns about the performance of candidates in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), highlighting the rising use of social media language and non-standard English in exam scripts across various subjects.
According to Mr. John Kapi, Director of Public Affairs at WAEC, chief examiners noted that many students relied excessively on informal social media language, which often lacks clarity and is inappropriate for formal academic responses.
In the English Language paper, candidates struggled with vocabulary and the correct usage of standard English. Many found it difficult to express themselves clearly, reflecting a broader trend of language deterioration.
In Social Studies, numerous candidates failed to adequately address key topics such as government policies and the economic implications of Ghana’s high funeral costs.
Integrated Science scripts also revealed widespread spelling errors in scientific terminology and challenges in drawing or illustrating basic scientific concepts, which are essential for demonstrating understanding in the subject.
Mathematics remained a significant challenge, with many students unable to solve even basic calculations, contributing to the overall poor performance in the exam.
Mr. Kapi pointed out that these factors contributed to a notable decline in the overall performance of candidates this year. The 2025 WASSCE recorded a significant drop, particularly in Core Mathematics, which saw the steepest decline.
The number of A1–C6 passes decreased from 305,132 in 2024 to 209,068 in 2025, a reduction of over 96,000 passes. With a pass rate of just 48.73%, more than half of the candidates failed to meet the required grades for tertiary admission.
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