WASSCE Core Subjects Performance Shows Declining Trends in 2025

WASSCE Core Subjects Performance Shows Declining Trends in 2025

The provisional results of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates in Ghana indicate a decline in performance across the four core subjects. The results reveal that while a majority of candidates achieved passing grades in English Language, performance in Core Mathematics and Social Studies was notably weaker, with failure rates exceeding 40 percent in these subjects.

In 2025, 69 percent of candidates obtained grades A1 to C6 in English Language, while 48.73 percent achieved the same grade range in Core Mathematics. For Integrated Science, 57.74 percent of candidates scored between A1 and C6, and 55.82 percent did so in Social Studies. Failure rates, defined as grades D7 to F9, were highest in Core Mathematics at 50.54 percent and Social Studies at 43.99 percent.

A comparison of performance over the four-year period from 2022 to 2025 shows fluctuating trends across all core subjects. The percentage of candidates obtaining grades A1 to C6 in English Language was 60.39 percent in 2022, rose to 73.11 percent in 2023, fell to 69.52 percent in 2024, and stood at 69.00 percent in 2025. Core Mathematics performance declined steadily from 61.39 percent in 2022 to 48.73 percent in 2025. Integrated Science pass rates decreased from 62.45 percent in 2022 to 57.74 percent in 2025, while Social Studies experienced the most significant decline, dropping from 71.51 percent in 2022 to 55.82 percent in 2025.

Among the four years examined, 2023 recorded the highest performance, with the highest percentages of candidates achieving grades A1 to C6 across all core subjects: 73.11 percent in English Language, 62.23 percent in Core Mathematics, 66.82 percent in Integrated Science, and 76.76 percent in Social Studies.

Conversely, 2025 represents the lowest performance over the four-year period. The percentage of candidates achieving passing grades declined most notably in Core Mathematics, where only 48.73 percent obtained grades A1 to C6, compared to 66.86 percent in 2024. Social Studies also recorded its lowest pass rate in 2025 at 55.82 percent, compared to 71.53 percent in 2024.

The results demonstrate a general downward trend in performance across the core subjects, particularly in Core Mathematics and Social Studies, over the four-year period. While English Language performance remained relatively stable, the significant decline in pass rates for the other core subjects highlights challenges in achieving acceptable levels of proficiency in these foundational areas.

The provisional results also indicate that results for 653 candidates were cancelled due to malpractice, primarily possession of mobile phones, while subject results for an additional 6,295 candidates were withheld.