The Civil Rights Coalition has called on the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) to provide a transparent account of the implementation of undertakings signed by school heads ahead of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Coalition commended the Ministry for its efforts to strengthen accountability and prevent examination irregularities, particularly candidate absenteeism, duplication and the registration of ineligible candidates.
It noted that candidate absenteeism reportedly increased from about 25,000 in 2024 to approximately 40,000 in 2025. The Ministry also reported detecting 124,000 duplicate candidates during the registration process.
Under the undertaking, school heads committed to ensuring that absenteeism does not exceed the 2 per cent threshold, that all registered candidates meet the required eligibility criteria, and that candidate duplication is prevented.
The stated penalties for violations include repayment of examination fees, possible termination of service and referral to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The Coalition is now urging the MBSSE to publish key information on the implementation of the undertaking, including the number of schools and heads who signed it, final absenteeism figures, duplicate candidates identified and resolved, candidates excluded for failing to meet eligibility requirements, and any disciplinary or ACC action taken.
The Civil Rights Coalition said the request is not intended to undermine the Ministry or school authorities, but to promote transparency, accountability and the protection of public resources.
It stressed that the credibility of the 2026 WASSCE reforms will depend on their consistent, fair and transparent implementation.
PRESS RELEASE
CIVIL RIGHTS COALITION CALL FOR FULL TRANSPARENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION ON 2026 WASSCE UNDERTAKINGS WITH
SCHOOL HEADS
18th August 2026
The Civil Rights Coalition, as a civil society organization committed to promoting quality education, accountability, transparency and integrity in Sierra Leone’s education sector, commends the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) for its efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the conduct of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
We note that, ahead of the 2026 WASSCE, the Ministry entered into an undertaking with heads of schools, citing Sections 86 and 87 of the MBSSE Act, 2023, and Section 15 of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2019. The Ministry has explained that the undertaking is intended to promote transparency, prevent examination irregularities and ensure that only eligible candidates are registered for the examination.
The Civil Rights Coalition is particularly concerned about the issue of candidate absenteeism. According to information provided by the Ministry, candidate absenteeism stood at approximately 25,000 candidates in 2024 and increased to about 40,000 in 2025. These figures raise legitimate questions about the accuracy and integrity of examination registration and the use of public resources.
We further note the Ministry’s position that 124,000 duplicate candidates were detected during the registration process. The Ministry has made it clear that duplication of candidates will not be tolerated. We support this position because examination registration must be based on accurate, verifiable and transparent data.
The Ministry has also referred to Subsections (1) and (2) of Section 29 of the MBSSE Act, 2023, which provide the criteria for eligibility for WASSCE. We believe that strict compliance with these provisions is necessary to protect the credibility of the examination system and ensure fairness to all candidates.
UNDERTAKINGS BY HEADS OF SCHOOLS
Under the undertaking, heads of schools committed themselves to:
Ensuring that the absenteeism rate does not exceed the 2% threshold of enrolled candidates;
Ensuring that all registered candidates meet the prescribed eligibility criteria; and taking all necessary steps to prevent the duplication of candidates within their schools.
The stated consequences for violating the undertaking include repayment of examination fees by the head of school, possible termination of service, and possible investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
While the Civil Rights Coalition welcomes the Ministry’s initiative, we believe that transparency must not end with the signing of an undertaking. The public deserves to know whether the commitments made by school leaders have been implemented and whether those responsible for breaches have been held accountable.
We therefore call on the MBSSE to make available, as soon as possible, credible and verifiable data on the implementation of the 2026 WASSCE undertaking, including:
The number of schools and school heads that signed the undertaking;
The number of candidates enrolled and registered for WASSCE;
The final absenteeism figures and the number of schools that exceeded the 2% threshold;
The number of duplicate candidates identified and resolved;
The number of candidates rejected or removed for failing to meet the eligibility criteria;
The number of school heads found to have violated the undertaking;
Any disciplinary action taken against school heads, including termination where applicable; and
Any cases referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission for investigation.
We emphasize that our call for this information is not intended to undermine the Ministry or school leadership. Rather, it is part of the legitimate role of civil society in monitoring public institutions, safeguarding public resources and promoting accountability in the education sector.
The Civil Rights Coalition commends the MBSSE for identifying absenteeism and candidate duplication as serious challenges and for taking steps to address them. However, the credibility of the reform will ultimately depend on consistent, fair and transparent implementation.
We therefore urge the Ministry to publish the relevant data and provide the public with a clear account of how the undertaking has been implemented following the 2026 WASSCE.
Alphonso Manley
National Coordinator