By Thaimu T Kamara

Parliament has urged the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to immediately release all withheld 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results belonging to candidates against whom there is no clear evidence of examination malpractice.

The resolution followed a parliamentary engagement with the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, on Thursday, November 5, 2026, during which lawmakers questioned him over the withholding of 47,525 candidates’ results.

The huge number of withheld results has generated widespread public concern, with students, parents, teachers and other stakeholders demanding urgent clarification and action from the authorities.

Presenting the Ministry’s position before Parliament, Minister Sackey acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, describing the number of withheld results as unacceptable. He assured lawmakers that the government was working with relevant authorities to address the concerns and ensure that innocent candidates were not unfairly disadvantaged.

He said the Ministry remained committed to improving the country’s education system and was working around the clock to resolve the challenges confronting the sector.

“My Ministry and I are working around the clock to resolve the issues,” the Minister assured Parliament.

Sackey also highlighted some of the developments recorded in the education sector under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio. He disclosed that 143 schools across the country had obtained WAEC examination codes, enabling them to participate in public examinations.

However, he acknowledged that the withholding of thousands of WASSCE results had become a major concern that required urgent attention.

According to the Minister, candidates whose results were withheld but were subsequently found to have committed no examination malpractice would eventually have their results released following the necessary investigations.

He maintained that the government would work closely with WAEC and other relevant institutions to ensure that the matter was properly addressed.

The Minister also spoke about the persistent poor performance of students in English Language, describing it as a longstanding challenge within the country’s education system.

He said the government was taking steps to improve learning outcomes through the provision of essential teaching and learning materials, as well as improved conditions of service for teachers.

He further disclosed that additional training programmes would be organised for English Language teachers nationwide to strengthen their teaching capacity and improve students’ performance in the subject.

Beyond the WASSCE controversy, Sackey addressed other concerns raised by citizens regarding the conduct and management of public examinations. He assured lawmakers that the Ministry remained open to dialogue and was committed to working towards a more effective and credible education system.

Following the Minister’s presentation, Members of Parliament raised several questions and concerns, some of which could not be fully addressed during the proceedings.

In response, Sackey undertook to prepare written answers to the outstanding questions for submission to Parliament.

After deliberations, Parliament adopted a series of resolutions aimed at strengthening oversight, improving accountability and addressing the controversy surrounding the withheld results.

Among the resolutions was a decision to review the composition of the committee established to investigate the seizure of the 2026 WASSCE results. Parliament recommended that the Parliamentary Committee on Basic Education and representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) be included in the investigative process.

The Parliamentary Committee on Basic Education was also tasked with investigating the Ministry’s position regarding WAEC’s capacity to conduct public examinations in Sierra Leone.

In addition, the committee is expected to examine the Ministry’s involvement in the recruitment of examination officers responsible for overseeing public examinations.

Parliament further directed the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) to provide a clear timeline within four days for the completion of investigations into the withheld results.

Another resolution requires WAEC, through the Ministry, to prepare a comprehensive post-investigation report explaining the circumstances that led to the withholding of the results and outlining measures to prevent similar occurrences in future examination exercises.

Most significantly, Parliament urged WAEC to ensure the release of all withheld results belonging to candidates against whom there is no clear evidence of examination malpractice.

The resolution is expected to provide some relief to thousands of candidates and their families who have been anxiously waiting for the outcome of the investigations.

Meanwhile, Parliament also moved and adopted a motion calling on all academic institutions to henceforth prohibit sign-out celebrations, a practice that has become increasingly common among students completing their academic programmes.

The parliamentary intervention comes amid growing demands for transparency and accountability in the administration of public examinations.

For thousands of affected candidates, the immediate priority remains the release of their results so they can determine their academic future and pursue further educational opportunities without unnecessary delays.

The coming days will therefore be crucial, particularly as the Ministry is expected to provide Parliament with a definitive timeline for concluding the investigations.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 11th November 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)