The announcement usually comes without warning: the West African Examinations Council has released the WASSCE results. Within minutes, cafés, phone screens and family WhatsApp groups in Accra fill with anxious students entering index numbers and PINs. A few minutes decide the next step of their lives.
What WASSCE is
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination is written at the end of senior high school in Ghana and other West African countries. It is set and marked by WAEC. Results determine eligibility for universities, colleges, nursing training, teacher training and many jobs.
The grading
WASSCE uses letter grades from A1, the best, down to F9, a fail. Grades A1 to C6 are credit passes. D7 and E8 are passes but not credits. Most tertiary institutions require credit passes in the core subjects, English, mathematics, integrated science and social studies, plus a number of electives.
Buying a results checker
To check results online, students buy a results checker voucher with a serial number and PIN. Vouchers are sold through WAEC-approved channels, including banks and authorised vendors. Buy only from approved sources, because fake vouchers circulate every year.
Checking online
Go to WAEC’s official results website, enter the index number, the examination year, the type of examination and the voucher details. Results appear on screen and can be printed. Each voucher allows a limited number of checks, so print or save the result straight away.
Withheld results
Sometimes results are “withheld”. This usually happens when WAEC is investigating suspected malpractice, unpaid fees or administrative problems. Students with withheld results should contact their school and WAEC’s offices for an explanation. Some withheld results are later released after investigation; others are cancelled.
Re-marking
A student who believes a grade is wrong can apply for re-marking through WAEC for a fee. Re-marks rarely change grades dramatically, but some students do gain.
Remedial and private exams
Students who fail to get the grades they need can register for the private candidates’ examination, often called November/December or “Nov-Dec”, run by WAEC. Many schools and tutorial centres in Accra offer remedial classes.
The next step
With results in hand, students apply to universities and colleges, each with its own cut-off points. Keep copies of the result slip and wait for the official certificate, which comes later.
WASSCE results can feel final on the day they arrive. For many Accra students, they are the start of a set of choices, not the end of one.
.jpg){kind=link}