By Jamesetta D. Williams
MONROVIA–The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Liberia has announced it would release the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) next week, on or before August 14, centering the delays on challenges encountered during the examination process, including concerns surrounding registration, digital systems, and misinformation on social media.
Assuring candidates, parents, and the general public, Head of WAEC Liberia, Mr. Dale Gbotoe, disclosed 2026 WASSCE and the Council’s readiness to release the results.
Mr. Gbotoe said WAEC has completed about 90 percent of the post-examination processing, adding that all examination papers have been marked and the Council is currently conducting the final stages of verification before the official release.
He explained that before the results are made public, they must first be shared with relevant education authorities in line with established procedures.
“We want to assure the public that the results will be ready before August 14,” Mr. Gbotoe said, while warning candidates and parents to be cautious of unofficial information circulating on social media regarding the release of results.
He said any document or announcement claiming to be the official WAEC results release before the authorized date should be considered false.
Providing an overview of the examination, Mr. Gbotoe disclosed that the 2026 WASSCE for school candidates was conducted from April 27 to June 19, 2026.
According to him, a total of 1,126 senior secondary schools presented candidates for the examination, including two schools from the Republic of Guinea that are currently operating under the Liberian curriculum arrangement.
He added that 57,739 candidates sat the examination at 401 examination centers across Liberia.
Mr. Gbotoe praised the efforts of examination officials, including more than 4,000 supervisors, 1,435 invigilators, and other support personnel, for ensuring the successful administration of the examination.
The WAEC Liberia boss also highlighted the introduction of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) subjects for the first time as part of the WASSCE program.
He said candidates were given the opportunity to take subjects including Animal Husbandry, Auto Mechanics, Basic Electricity, Plumbing and Pipe Fitting, Tailoring, Metal Work, Welding and Fabrication, Carpentry and Joinery, among others.
Mr. Gbotoe expressed satisfaction with the practical demonstrations presented by students, noting that the performance of candidates showed progress in Liberia’s technical and vocational education sector.
The WAEC official reported that the 2026 WASSCE was conducted without any examination paper leakage.
He said all pre-examination arrangements were implemented according to WAEC regulations and credited stakeholders, including security institutions, school authorities, teachers, supervisors, and invigilators, for protecting the credibility of the process.
Mr. Gbotoe disclosed that WAEC introduced a digital attendance platform during this year’s examination to improve monitoring and accountability.
He explained that the system allowed WAEC officials to capture candidates’ attendance in real time from examination centers across the country.
According to him, the platform was developed by WAEC Liberia’s own staff, demonstrating the capacity of local professionals.
However, he admitted that some challenges were encountered because some examination workers and schools were not fully prepared for the new digital system.
He said about 90 percent of examination workers successfully used the platform, while WAEC continues to improve the system for future examinations.
Mr. Gbotoe identified the delayed distribution of mathematical sets as one of the major challenges experienced during the examination.
He explained that although WAEC has been supplying mathematical sets to candidates since 2019, difficulties in obtaining and distributing them this year affected the process.
As a result, candidates were allowed to use their own scientific calculators.
He also addressed concerns raised on social media, including reports alleging misconduct at examination centers and the presence of unauthorized police officers.
Mr. Gbotoe said WAEC immediately engaged the Liberia National Police and other relevant institutions to investigate the claims.
He noted that some of the information circulated online was misleading and intended to discredit the examination process.
According to him, one incident involving a police officer accused on social media was investigated, and authorities determined that the officer was attempting to prevent examination malpractice after noticing students receiving unauthorized assistance.
The WAEC Liberia Head expressed appreciation to the Government of Liberia, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information, Liberia National Police, school administrators, teachers, supervisors, examiners, and all individuals who contributed to the successful conduct of the 2026 WASSCE.
He reaffirmed WAEC’s commitment to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and credibility of Liberia’s examination system.
“We remain committed to ensuring that candidates receive their results through a transparent and credible process,” Mr. Gbotoe said.
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