Students, Parents Slam WAEC Over Portal Crash and English Language Result Controversy

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is under mounting pressure as thousands of candidates and parents question the credibility of the 2025 WASSCE results, particularly in English Language.

Outrage intensified on Wednesday after WAEC’s result portal became temporarily inaccessible. The body cited “technical issues” for the disruption, assuring users that results would be available again within 24 hours.

However, many see the timing as suspicious, coming just days after WAEC announced that only 38.32% of nearly two million candidates passed five subjects including English and Mathematics, a record low in the last decade.

The English Language paper has drawn the most criticism, with candidates alleging mass failure. Several students, despite scoring high in other subjects, were shocked to see poor grades or withheld results in English.

On social media, testimonies surfaced accusing WAEC of compromising the exam process. Candidates recalled writing the English paper in highly unusual conditions, some as late as 8 p.m. in poorly lit centres with barely enough time to complete the questions.

“This wasn’t just a delay; it was a national embarrassment,” one user posted, urging WAEC to reassess the scripts.

The frustration goes beyond the students. Parents have expressed disbelief at how children who excelled in core subjects were awarded failing grades in English. Some are calling for an independent audit of the grading process.

A parent tweeted, “My daughter got distinctions in six subjects but received a D7 in English. Something doesn’t add up.”

As public demand for a full review of the English results grows louder, WAEC has yet to respond with further clarification.