Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) is calling for a thorough investigation into the sharp decline in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), stressing that only a detailed, subject-by-subject analysis can reveal the root causes.
The appeal follows a noticeable drop in overall performance and a rise in examination irregularities across several centres. Core Mathematics recorded the steepest decline, with A1–C6 passes falling from 305,132 in 2024 to 209,068 in 2025—a reduction of more than 96,000 passes. The subject’s pass rate sank to 48.73%, leaving over half of candidates unable to secure the minimum grades required for tertiary admission.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Monday, December 1, Eduwatch’s Executive Director, Kofi Asare, described the situation as alarming, noting that the decline is unusually sharp.
“The dips are significant. When you look at the trend analysis we conducted, this year’s decline is very deep — and that is naturally concerning,” he said.
Mr. Asare added that when such drops occur in specific subjects rather than across the board, it becomes necessary to undertake what he called a “surgical knife inquiry” to uncover the underlying causes.
He stressed the importance of obtaining a full set of chief examiners’ reports, which detail candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and common errors.
“Obtaining the chief examiner’s report is essential. It will allow us to pinpoint exactly where candidates fell short and design remedial measures accordingly,” he explained. “If the decline is widespread, then we must confront systemic issues. But in this case, the dips are subject-specific, which tells its own story.”
Eduwatch maintains that without such detailed scrutiny, policy responses will remain unfocused and ineffective.
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