The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released provisional results of 133,679 out of 148,826 candidates who took the May/June 2011 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).This is in fulfillment of the council’s pledge to release the results of the candidates early to enable them to apply for university admission this year. The candidates are the first batch of senior high school students to undergo the four-year programme under the 2007 education reform.The Vice Chancellors Ghana (VCG) early this year indicated that it was going to delay admissions for first-year students to enable the then final-year SHS candidates to apply for university admission this year instead of waiting for one whole year.However, shortly after that most of the public universities advertised for admissions, advising the final year SHS students to purchase forms and state that they were awaiting their results.The results, WAEC said, would be dispatched to the various senior high schools soon.Meanwhile, a statement signed by the Principal Public Affairs Officer of WAEC said candidates could access their results online.“The entire results of all candidates presented by 81 schools have been withheld pending the conclusion of investigations into various examination irregularities. On the same score, the entire results of 849 candidates from other schools are being withheld,” it said, adding that the withheld results will be released as soon as the Council concludes investigations into examination irregularities committed.Last year, candidates in Ghana could not take part in the WASSCE because they were not in the final year; a key requirement of WAEC.In 2009, 158,001 candidates sat for the examination. At the time of releasing provisional results; the council said 22,014 results of students had been withheld pending further investigations. The council also cancelled 733 subject results, explaining that registration of unqualified candidates with the connivance of some teachers and invigilators and examination malpractices were prominent.Two hundred and three students from six schools were disqualified.