Why over half of 2025 WASSCE candidates failed Core Mathematics – WAEC explains
The 2025 provisional results of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination have revealed a troubling drop in performance, notably in Core Mathematics, where more than half of candidates failed. WAEC has pointed to specific skill gaps among students as the root cause of the sharp decline
In a statement WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs said that the fall in pass rate for Core Mathematics is attributable not to a change in syllabus but to weaknesses in foundational mathematical skills among candidates. The council identified several areas where students struggled: representing data in diagrams, constructing cumulative frequency tables, translating word problems into mathematical expressions, solving real-life math problems, working out simple interest questions, and interpreting statistical results.
The 2025 WASSCE results show that only 48.73% of the 461,736 registered candidates achieved grades A1 to C6 in Core Mathematics. In contrast, 26.77% scored F9 and failed. This marks a major drop compared to the 66.86% pass rate recorded in 2024. Across other core subjects, including Integrated Science, Social Studies, and English Language, pass rates also declined, making 2025 the worst year in at least four years for overall core-subject performance.
Education stakeholders are alarmed. Many see the poor mathematics results as a wake-up call for reforms in teaching methods, curriculum delivery, teacher training, and student preparation at senior high schools. Some experts suggest that the decline reflects more than just exam weakness; they link it to systemic issues tracing back to basic education, including inadequate foundational learning, poorly resourced schools, and limited practical mathematics exposure from early years.
WAEC’s call for improvement has been backed by civil society organisations and education think-tanks, which have urged the government and education authorities to implement a comprehensive review of the secondary school mathematics curriculum. They want enhanced teacher training, increased class contact hours, better learning materials, and stronger continuous assessment systems that build competence rather than rote memorisation.
For pupils and parents the message is clear: mathematics competence requires solid foundational understanding, regular practice, and dedicated support. WAEC is encouraging schools to strengthen remedial programmes, organise extra mathematics classes, and ensure that students master core mathematical concepts before sitting for major exams.
As the nation grapples with the implications of the 2025 WASSCE performance slump, stakeholders emphasise that addressing these educational challenges will require coordinated efforts between WAEC, the Ghana Education Service, schools, teachers, parents and communities. Only then will student outcomes improve and the value of the WASSCE qualification be restored.
