President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Rev. Isaac Owusu, has urged calm following the release of the provisional 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, stressing the need to await the Chief Examiners’ report to understand the full situation.
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Rev. Owusu said the report would clarify what led to issues in the exams before conclusions are drawn.
He attributed some of the poor results to widespread indiscipline in schools, noting that some students “don’t even attend school regularly,” and that when teachers attempt to discipline them, they are often blamed.
He also disclosed logistical challenges, including delays in the provision of teaching and learning materials by the government, which affects the quality of education.
On exam fundamentals, Rev. Owusu observed that many students struggle with basic tasks, such as shading answer sheets correctly, contributing to underperformance.
Parents were also urged to take a more active role in their children’s education, particularly day students that spend excessive time on social media instead of studying.
He stated that parental supervision and care are critical to improving student outcomes.
Rev. Owusu also warned against over-reliance on foreign study materials, explaining that “some students depend heavily on foreign resources, and when the questions don’t match what they’ve studied, it becomes a challenge for them.”
On the overall state of the country’s education system, he admitted that there has been negligence and declining standards.
“We have been careless with our education system. Standards have fallen to a worrying situation. Some children simply don’t like learning. If we don’t put proper measures in place and ensure everyone does their part, our education sector will continue to face serious challenges,” he said.
His comments come after WAEC released provisional results showing that 461,736 candidates from 1,021 schools sat the 2025 WASSCE — a 0.24% increase from 2024 — while 5,821 candidates (1.26%) were absent.
The most alarming trend was in Core Mathematics, where more than half of candidates — 220,008 students — failed, marking the worst performance in seven years.
ALSO READ:
Let’s analyse 10 years of WASSCE trends before drawing conclusions — Sisala East MP
2025 WASSCE Results Out: Step-by-Step Guide for checking online
2025 WASSCE: Nearly 1 out of 4 candidates failed Core Mathematics
