The theoretical aspect of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) commences today, Wednesday, August 20, 2025, nationwide.
A total of 461,640 candidates from senior high and technical schools are sitting for the exams. They include 207,381 males and 254,259 females, representing a marginal increase of 1,029 compared to 2024’s figure of 460,611. Candidates will sit for 65 subjects, with each student expected to write an average of eight.
This year’s exercise marks the fourth cohort of Ghanaian students taking the Ghana-only version of the WASSCE. The arrangement, introduced in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the academic calendar, differs from other WAEC member states—Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia—which continue with the traditional May/June schedule.
Practical and project work for the school candidates began on August 5, with the first essay and objective papers, including Picture Making, written on Tuesday, August 19. The examination is taking place in 701 centres nationwide.
Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abass Apaak, has cautioned candidates against malpractice and warned both teaching and non-teaching staff not to support cheating.
He urged students to approach the exams with integrity and discipline.