In the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, English Language performance has slipped to 62.40%, the lowest percentage of candidates scoring between A1 and C6 in the past four years, according to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). This marks a further decline from the 69.00% recorded in 2025.
WAEC statistics show a steady fall in English scores: 73.11% in 2023, 69.52% in 2024, 69.00% in 2025, and now 62.40% in 2026. A total of 315,094 candidates earned A1‑C6 grades, while 49,771 received D7, 37,080 earned E8, and 55,940 obtained F9.
Unlike English, core subjects such as Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Social Studies have shown improvements. Mathematics (Core) rose from 48.73% in 2025 to 60.75% in 2026. Integrated Science climbed from 57.74% to 62.08%, and Social Studies jumped from 55.82% to 78.04% over the same period.
WAEC noted that English Language has experienced a progressive decline, contrasting with the positive trends in other core subjects. The council will review the curriculum and assessment strategies to address the downturn in English proficiency.
