WAEC Dismisses Claims of Subject Restrictions for 2026 WASSCE Candidates
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has denied reports claiming it has imposed restrictions on subjects that candidates can register for in the forthcoming 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos, the Acting Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Moyosola Adeshina, described the circulating reports as “false, misleading, and capable of causing unnecessary panic among students, parents, and schools.”
According to her, WAEC has not released any directive limiting subject options for any category of students, stressing that the Council’s role is to conduct examinations based on the curriculum provided by the Federal Ministry of Education — not to determine or alter subjects taught in schools.
“WAEC has not issued any instruction restricting subject choices for the 2026 WASSCE. Any information suggesting otherwise is unfounded and should be disregarded,” Adeshina said.
She explained that the responsibility for developing or revising the national curriculum lies solely with the Federal Government and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), while WAEC’s function remains the conduct and assessment of students based on those curricula.
Standard Subject Requirements for 2026 WASSCE
WAEC reaffirmed that candidates for the 2026 examination are to register for a minimum of eight subjects and a maximum of nine, including three core compulsory subjects and additional electives based on their field of study.
The compulsory subjects for all candidates are:
English Language
Mathematics
Civic Education
In addition to these, students are required to select other subjects according to their chosen academic stream:
For Science Students:
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Agricultural Science or Geography
One Trade or Entrepreneurship subject (e.g., Data Processing, Animal Husbandry, Technical Drawing)
For Arts/Humanities Students:
Literature-in-English
Government or History
Christian Religious Studies or Islamic Studies
A Nigerian Language (Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa)
One Trade subject (e.g., Tourism, Photography, or Dyeing & Bleaching)
For Commercial Students:
Financial Accounting
Commerce
Economics
Office Practice or Business Management
One Trade subject (e.g., Marketing, Store keeping, or Data Processing)
The clarification followed viral reports on social media alleging that WAEC had barred Science and Arts students from offering Economics, and that certain combinations such as Commerce for Arts students or Biology for Commercial students were no longer acceptable.
These unverified claims led to confusion among students and parents, raising fears that the new subject policy could affect university admissions.
However, WAEC insisted that no such restriction exists and advised candidates to rely solely on official circulars from the Council.
“WAEC does not bar any candidate from registering for a subject as long as it aligns with the national curriculum and the school has the capacity to teach and assess it,” Adeshina added.
She also reminded schools to ensure that students select subjects suitable for their future career goals and university admission requirements, in line with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) guidelines.
Education experts have welcomed WAEC’s clarification, noting that misinformation spreads easily online and can cause confusion during registration. They urged school principals to provide proper academic counselling and ensure students make informed choices based on their academic strengths and career interests.
WAEC’s latest statement effectively dispels rumours of any subject restrictions for 2026 WASSCE candidates. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, transparency, and the conduct of credible examinations across the subregion.
“We remain dedicated to upholding standards and ensuring that every student is given a fair opportunity to demonstrate their ability,” Adeshina concluded.
