WASSCE Ghana cheat sheet

WASSCE School (SC) is the school-candidate route: candidates registered through a recognised senior high school and entered for the examination by that school, which also supervises continuous assessment records.

The final grade in each subject combines the WASSCE paper result with the school's continuous assessment (CA) score; CA typically contributes 30% and the examination 70%, so a candidate's class record affects the final subject grade.

Standard grading scale is 1-9: grades 1-3 = A1, B2, B3 (credit/strong pass), 4-6 = C4, C5, C6 (credit), 7-8 = D7, E8 (pass but not credit), 9 = F9 (fail).

A subject is passed at credit level when the grade is A1 to C6 (grades 1-6); grades D7, E8 and F9 do not count as credit passes for most tertiary admission requirements.

Core subjects for the school certificate are English Language, Core Mathematics, Integrated Science and Social Studies; a candidate must obtain credit in at least the required core subjects to qualify for university admission.

Aggregate for tertiary admission is computed from the best six subjects: the three or four core subjects plus electives, with grade values summed (lower aggregate = better result).

Electives are chosen from the candidate's programme (Science, Business, General Arts, Visual Arts, Technical, Home Economics), and each programme has prescribed elective combinations.

Practical and oral components (e.g., Integrated Science practicals, French oral, ICT practicals) are examined separately and their scores are merged into the subject total before grading.

WASSCE Private (PC) is the private-candidate route: candidates register individually (not through a school) and sit the same WAEC papers as school candidates, usually in the November/private diet.

Private candidates have no school continuous assessment component; their subject grade is derived from the written/practical examination papers only, so the examination score carries full weight.

Private candidates may register for a single subject or a full subject set, and may combine results from different diets to build the six subjects needed for an aggregate.

The same 1-9 grading scale applies: A1 (1), B2 (2), B3 (3), C4 (4), C5 (5), C6 (6) are credit passes; D7 (7), E8 (8), F9 (9) are not credit passes.

Registration is done online through the WAEC private candidates portal, with passport photograph, bio-data, subject selection and payment of the prescribed fee before the deadline.

The examination timetable, centre allocation and index number are issued by WAEC; candidates must confirm their centre and subjects on the admission notice before the exam.

Practical papers for private candidates are conducted at designated centres, and candidates must provide any specified materials or instruments listed in the timetable notes.

Results are released as a statement of results per candidate; private candidates can request confirmation of results or a certificate through WAEC's result verification process.