The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the results of 2,889 candidates who sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School Candidates over suspected examination malpractice.
The affected candidates comprise 48 whose entire results have been withheld, 119 whose subject results have been withheld, and 2,722 candidates from 229 schools whose subject results have been withheld pending further investigations.
WAEC, in a statement announcing the release of the provisional results yesterday, said the withheld results could either be released or cancelled after investigations are concluded by August 31, 2026.
The Council also disclosed that it had cancelled the subject results of 496 candidates and the entire results of 105 candidates following investigations into examination irregularities approved by the 37th Meeting of the Final Awards and Examiners’ Appointment Committee for BECE 2026.
Candidates whose results have been cancelled or withheld have been directed to visit the Council’s irregularities portal to ascertain the reasons for the sanctions and, in the case of withheld results, receive information on the next steps.
Despite the sanctions, WAEC announced that it has released the provisional results of candidates who wrote this year’s examination.
According to the Council, 620,243 candidates, made up of 304,415 males and 315,828 females from 20,789 schools, registered for the examination, which was conducted at 2,237 centres nationwide.
The figure included 136 candidates with visual impairment, 282 with hearing assessment needs, and 510 candidates who required other forms of test accommodation.
WAEC said 3,601 registered candidates were absent from the examination.
The Council indicated that the results would be dispatched to schools through Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education, while candidates who wish to check their results online may do so through WAEC’s official website.
WAEC urged candidates, heads of schools and proprietors to comply with the procedures outlined for addressing withheld and cancelled results as investigations into the remaining suspected cases continue.
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