WAEC gives deadline to release 2025 withheld private BECE results

The management of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it will soon release the withheld results for the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for Private Candidates.

Speaking in an interview monitored by Pretertiary.com, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, Mr John Kapi, said that investigations into the withheld results have been completed and final decisions made.

“By today or tomorrow, we should upload all the results, especially for those whose results were withheld, so they will know their status — whether their results have been cancelled or released — to enable them to proceed with their education,” the WAEC official said in the radio interview.

He explained that the early release of provisional results over the weekend aimed to address challenges candidates may have faced during processing and to ensure timely placement into Senior High Schools.

Mr Kapi indicated that a total of 1,661 candidates, made up of 858 males and 803 females, participated in the private BECE across 15 centres nationwide, with 33 candidates absent and the results of three withheld over suspected examination irregularities.

The Examinations Council spokesperson said parents and guardians can expect the remaining BECE results to be uploaded imminently, allowing candidates to continue their education without further delay.

The assurance comes after the not-for-profit organization (WAEC) on September 8, 2025, released the provisional results of private students who sat for the 2025 edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

The West African Examinations Council, releasing the private BECE results, said the private candidates’ results are now accessible online through the Council’s official website, https://www.waecgh.org.

WAEC, following the release of the 2025 provisional private BECE result,s cautioned candidates and the members of the general public to be vigilant against fraudsters who promise to upgrade results for a fee.

“Candidates are to note that West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results are secured and can be authenticated,” it emphasised.

The Examinations Council (WAEC) disclosed that the Basic Education Certificate Examination for Private results of three candidates have been withheld pending investigations into alleged examination malpractices.

“Candidates whose results have been cancelled or withheld should visit https://waecgh.org and click on the withheld/cancelled button on the home page. They will be redirected to the Irregularity and Sanctions page.

This page will display reasons for withholding or cancelling the results. For withheld results, the candidates will receive information on the next line of action,” the Examinations Council said in a statement.

This year, a total of 603,328 candidates, comprising 297,250 males and 306,078 females, from nineteen thousand, five hundred and five (19,505) Junior High Schools (JHSs) entered for the school examination.

This includes seventy-two (72 ) candidates with visual impairment, two hundred and thirty-nine (239) with hearing impairment, and one hundred and sixty-one (161) candidates with other test accommodation needs.

The examination was conducted at two thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven (2,237 ) centres across the country. Out of the total number, two thousand, five hundred and twenty-six (2,526) candidates were absent.

The BECE for Private Candidates recorded a total entry figure of one thousand, three hundred and ninety (1,661) candidates. This was made up of eight hundred and fifty-eight (858) males and eight hundred and three (803 ) females.

Fifteen (15) centres, mostly in the regional capitals, were used for the BECE for Private Candidates. Out of the total number of candidates who entered for the examination, fifty-seven (57) were absent.

While the percentage increase in the number of candidates for the School Candidates was 5.99%, that of the Private Candidates was 19.49%. The provisional results of the BECE for School Candidates were released on August 23, 2025.

Candidates who infringed on the rules governing the conduct of the examination were appropriately sanctioned following the conclusion of investigations carried out and upon the advice of the relevant committee of the Council.