2026 BECE results released; over 3,600 absent as thousands await final verdict

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially released the provisional results of candidates who sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School Candidates, paving the way for the next stage of the senior high school placement process.

The Council announced that the results will be distributed to schools through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education, while candidates can also access their results online through WAEC's official results portal.

According to WAEC, a total of 620,243 candidates from 20,789 schools registered for the 2026 BECE.

The candidates comprised:

• 304,415 males
• 315,828 females

The Council also highlighted efforts to ensure inclusive education by providing examination accommodations for candidates with special educational needs.

These included:

• 136 candidates with visual impairment
• 282 candidates with hearing assessment needs
• 510 candidates requiring other forms of test accommodation

The nationwide examination was conducted across 2,237 examination centres.

WAEC disclosed that 3,601 registered candidates were absent from the examination.

Following investigations into reported examination irregularities, WAEC imposed sanctions on candidates found to have violated examination regulations.

According to the Council:

• Subject results of 496 candidates have been cancelled.
• Entire results of 105 candidates have been cancelled.

The Council said the sanctions were approved by the Final Awards and Examiners' Appointment Committee after reviewing reported cases of examination malpractice.

WAEC also announced that some results have been withheld while further investigations are conducted.

According to the Council:

• Subject results of 119 candidates have been withheld.
• Entire results of 48 candidates have been withheld.
• Subject results of 2,722 candidates from 229 schools have also been withheld for further scrutiny.

The Council stated that investigations into these cases are ongoing.

"The withheld results may be cancelled or released based on the outcome of investigations by August 31, 2026," WAEC said.

Candidates whose results have been withheld or cancelled have been directed to visit https://irreg.waecgh.org to obtain further information.

According to WAEC, affected candidates should:

• Visit the portal.
• Click on the Withheld or Cancelled button on the homepage.
• View the reason for the action taken.
• Follow any additional instructions provided.

Heads of schools and school proprietors can also verify the status of affected candidates using their official results listing login credentials.

WAEC has once again warned candidates and members of the public to disregard individuals who claim they can alter or upgrade examination results for a fee.

The Council stressed that its examination results are securely protected and can be independently authenticated.

"Candidates are to note that WAEC results are secured and can be authenticated."

It urged candidates to rely only on official WAEC platforms when accessing their results or seeking information regarding their examination status.

The Council expressed gratitude to all institutions and individuals who contributed to the successful conduct of the 2026 BECE.

These include:

• The Ministry of Education.
• The Ghana Education Service (GES).
• Security agencies.
• Heads of schools.
• Supervisors and invigilators.
• Examiners.
• Other education stakeholders.

WAEC said their collective support ensured the smooth administration of the examination and the timely release of the provisional results.

With the results now released, attention is expected to shift to the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), which will determine the placement of successful candidates into senior high schools across the country.