The West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE), administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), is a gateway to tertiary education for thousands of Gambian students annually. It serves as the most recognized standard for secondary school completion in The Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone. Despite its significance, a disturbing pattern has emerged over recent years – a consistent decline in the performance of Gambian students, especially in the core subjects of English Language and Mathematics.
This explainer investigates the underlying causes of this trend using publicly accessible data, official documents, and firsthand accounts. WASSCE results serve as an academic benchmark and influence student progression to university or vocational institutions. To be eligible for admission into many tertiary institutions in The Gambia and abroad, a candidate must obtain credit passes (grades A1 to C6) in at least five subjects, including English and Mathematics.
However, in recent years, the number of candidates who meet this benchmark has remained critically low.
According to a factsheet published by Malagen, a credible investigative journalism platform in The Gambia, the performance of students in English and Mathematics at WASSCE has shown marginal improvements in raw subject scores but a very low number of students achieving five credits, including both English and Mathematics.
Examiner Reports: Key Observations
According to the 2023 WAEC Chief Examiners’ Reports for both subjects, the following were noted
English Language:
• Candidates misinterpreted comprehension and summary questions.
• Sentence structures were often faulty, with numerous spelling and grammatical errors.
• Many students struggled to express ideas clearly, showing weak vocabulary and syntax.
Mathematics:
• Students showed an inability to translate word problems into mathematical expressions.
• They could not accurately plot graphs using the given scales.
• Many failed to determine gradients, midpoints, and equations of lines.
• Students struggled with basic statistical analysis, like calculating the mean and standard deviation.
“The general trend suggests that many candidates do not grasp basic concepts in both subjects, which significantly affects their performance,” noted a WAEC Examiner based in Banjul who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Contributing Factors: A Multi-Layered Challenge
Based on an analysis of open-source material and stakeholder opinions, several factors contribute to poor WASSCE performance:
1. Inadequate Teacher Training and Shortages – The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has acknowledged the shortage of qualified teachers in core subjects, particularly in rural areas. Many schools rely on unqualified or undertrained teachers for English and Mathematics instruction.
2. Selective Studying and Reliance on Past Papers – An article by Salieu John (The Point, May 2008) and recent interviews with candidates reveal that many students choose to study selective topics or rely solely on past paper predictions.
3. Weak English Language Proficiency – Students with weak English skills struggle across all subjects. Examples of common spelling errors by Grade 12 students include:
• “Rote” instead of “Road”
• “Computition” instead of “Competition”
• “Sorprise” instead of “Surprise”
4. Failure to Comply with Instructions – Misinterpreting exam instructions remains a common issue. A student might be asked to answer one question from Section A and three from Sections B and C, but due to a misunderstanding, they attempt all from one section, invalidating their answers.
5. Examination Anxiety and Lack of Confidence – Many students experience panic and fear during exams. These symptoms, commonly known as “exam fright,” often stem from inadequate preparation and low academic self-confidence.
6. Poor Time Management – Students often mismanage their time, spending too long on one question or writing irrelevant content, thus running out of time before addressing all required questions.
Voices from the Exam Rooms (2025 Candidates)
To gain firsthand insight, this report spoke to several students currently sitting the 2025 WASSCE:
Fatou, a student from Kombo East: “The questions were very tricky. In the English summary, I didn’t even understand what exactly was being asked.” Lamin, a science candidate in Nasir Senior School, Basse: “Some papers were tough. They brought things we didn’t really practice in class. However, we are optimistic.”
Isatou, a student from Kanifing East Senior School, shared, “We rely on past papers because we can’t cover everything. But this year, none of the past paper questions came. It was scary at some point, but I am hopeful.”
Despite moderate improvements in raw pass rates in Mathematics and English in recent years, the percentage of Gambian students attaining the five-credit benchmark, including English and Math, remains worryingly low. This crisis is fueled by teacher shortages, exam unpreparedness, linguistic challenges, and misunderstanding of the exam structure. The government, school administrators, parents, and WAEC must urgently collaborate to reverse this trend, which threatens national education goals and the future of thousands of Gambian youths.
By Ebrima Mbaye