WAEC and Education Ministry Announce Dual Curriculum for 2026 WASSCE in Sierra Leone
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Freetown, Sierra Leone – October 6, 2025
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), in partnership with the Sierra Leone Teachers’ Union (SLTU), the National Union of Private Schools (NUPS), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Civil Rights Coalition (CRC), and the Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (CPSS), has officially announced new updates concerning the conduct of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to the joint statement, the 2026 WASSCE will mark the beginning of a dual curriculum examination system, where subjects from both the new and old senior secondary school curricula will be examined concurrently. This decision is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure a smooth transition under the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme.
Under the new arrangement, 20 subjects will be drawn from the new curriculum, while 17 subjects will continue under the old one for a two-year transition period (2026–2027). Both Mathematics and English Language remain COMPULSORY for all candidates across both curricula.
The Ministry, WAEC, and CPSS will jointly coordinate and monitor the examination process to maintain transparency and fairness. The MBSSE revealed that over 124,000 duplicate entries were discovered during initial verification for upcoming exams, prompting the introduction of a new name-based registration system to prevent future irregularities. Schools are required to submit verified candidate lists to their District Directors by June each year, and to MBSSE headquarters by July.
In addressing previous challenges with private WASSCE candidate registration, the Ministry assured that the identified issues have been resolved. Private schools have been encouraged to comply strictly with registration guidelines and timelines. The Chief Education Officer will also hold special engagements with private school heads to enhance coordination.
To further improve accountability, the Ministry announced plans to conduct capacity-building sessions for teachers and school leaders on the Continuous Assessment Score Sheet (CASS) and other digital systems to strengthen data management.
The MBSSE also warned that principals or school authorities found guilty of violating registration protocols or examination procedures will face administrative sanctions after proper investigation. WAEC has released the official calendar of events for the 2026 examinations, running from October 2025 to June 2026, and emphasized that no extensions will be granted beyond these timelines.
In reaffirming their shared commitment, the MBSSE, SLTU, NUPS, CPSS, and WAEC emphasized their dedication to maintaining the quality and credibility of public examinations in Sierra Leone. They dismissed rumours that English Language had been removed from the new curriculum, confirming that no subject has been excluded.
The Joint Bodies called on all teachers, parents, and students to support the smooth implementation of the dual curriculum and uphold a malpractice-free examination process, as the government continues to strengthen the gains of the Free Quality School Education programme.
How about the science students the subjects remained the same or some have been added sir/ madam ?
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