Final-year Senior High School (SHS) students across Ghana have joined their counterparts in other West African countries to begin the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), starting with Oral English today.

In all, 509,862 candidates are expected to sit for this year’s examination nationwide, according to statistics from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

The figure comprises 225,274 males and 284,588 females.

The 2026 examination cycle had already commenced with practical sessions and project work in subjects such as Visual Arts and Home Economics.

Although Ghanaian candidates have in recent years taken Oral English as a standalone paper, this year’s exercise is being conducted simultaneously across all member countries of the West African Examinations Council.

The examination also marks the full return of member states to the traditional May–June academic calendar after disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, the examination was rescheduled to July–September, while the 2021 edition was held from August to October.

Following the disruptions, member countries including Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia worked to harmonise their academic calendars to restore the original timetable for the regional examination.

Regional breakdown

The Ashanti Region recorded the highest number of candidates, with 127,702 students made up of 57,885 males and 69,817 females.

The Eastern Region followed with 70,099 candidates comprising 29,810 males and 40,289 females, while the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions collectively accounted for 67,739 candidates, made up of 29,658 males and 38,081 females.

The Central Region recorded 61,303 candidates, while the Greater Accra Region had 48,099 candidates, comprising 22,418 males and 25,681 females.

In the Volta Region, 41,622 candidates are expected to write the examination, made up of 19,261 males and 22,361 females.

The Oti Region and Western North together accounted for 35,620 candidates, with 14,480 males and 21,140 females.

The Northern ecological zone, covering the Northern, North East and Savannah regions, recorded 33,155 candidates.

The Upper East Region had 15,192 candidates, comprising 6,093 males and 9,099 females, while the Upper West Region recorded 9,249 candidates, made up of 3,985 males and 5,264 females.