Candidates who sat the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Sierra Leone can check whether their results have been withheld by visiting the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Sierra Leone website.
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) announced on Tuesday that the results of 47,454 candidates had been withheld over suspected examination malpractice.
According to the ministry, the affected candidates comprise 26,735 females and 20,719 males whose results for all subjects were withheld in the list submitted to the government.
Candidates can check their status by visiting the following website: https://www.waec-sierra-leone.org/irregularities
The ministry advised candidates to use the website to determine whether their results have been withheld.
It also announced that a breakdown of the 13 reasons for withholding results would be made available on the ministry’s website and learning platform.
The reasons include different forms of suspected examination malpractice, such as collusion, the sharing of answers within the same examination room, and the use of social media platforms or artificial intelligence to obtain and distribute answers across examination centres.
However, having results withheld does not necessarily mean a candidate has been found guilty of examination malpractice.
The ministry explained that WAEC has the authority to withhold results where malpractice is suspected and may release some or all of the affected results following investigations.
Results of candidates found to have engaged in malpractice may be cancelled in accordance with the examination council’s rules and regulations.
The number of withheld results has risen from 13,237 in 2025 to 47,454 in 2026, prompting the ministry to call for further scrutiny of the situation.
The ministry said the Chief Education Officer, who also serves as the government’s chief nominee to WAEC, would work with the relevant committee to expedite investigations and decisions on the withheld results.
Candidates are therefore encouraged to check their status through the official website and await further information from WAEC and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education regarding the outcome of investigations.