The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the subject and entire results of 270 candidates over various suspected examination offences in the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, disclosed this during an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, September 7.

He said affected candidates could use WAEC’s examination irregularities portal to find out why their results had been withheld.

“Candidates whose results have been cancelled or withheld should visit the portal and click on ‘withheld’ on the homepage. They will be redirected to the irregularities and investigations page,” Mr Kapi explained.

“This page will display the reasons for withholding or cancelling the results,” he added.

Thousands sanctioned for malpractice

Mr Kapi also disclosed that WAEC had cancelled the subject results of 7,434 candidates for bringing unauthorised materials, including prepared notes, textbooks and printed materials, into examination halls.

The Council further cancelled the entire results of 861 candidates found in possession of mobile phones during the examinations.

He explained that WAEC’s regulations require the cancellation of a candidate’s entire results once the candidate is found with a mobile phone in an examination hall, regardless of whether the device was used.

Mr Kapi expressed concern that candidates continued to smuggle mobile phones into examination centres despite directives for thorough searches by supervisors and invigilators.

“It is possible that the candidates devise a means of concealing these from the invigilators who are searching, or that the search is not thorough,” he said.

He said WAEC would continue to enforce its regulations to protect the credibility and integrity of the examinations.