2025 WASSCE results suggest Nana Addo’s Free SHS WASSCE results were artificial passes, cosmetic and manipulated

The release of the 2025 WASSCE results, which marks the performance of the cohort educated entirely under the Free SHS policy of the previous administration, has not just sparked a national conversation—it has ignited a profound public argument. The catastrophic plunge in Core Mathematics and Social Studies pass rates compels the nation to look beyond political rhetoric and confront a deepening crisis of academic competence and systemic integrity in the education sector.

The raw data confirms the collapse: the A1-C6 pass rate in Core Mathematics plummeted to $48.73\%$ in 2025, down sharply from $66.86\%$ in 2024, with over 114,000 students scoring an outright F9. A similar disaster struck Social Studies, falling from $71.53\%$ to $55.82\%$, leaving over 122,000 candidates with an F9.

This educational regression has triggered a fierce public debate, centered on three critical and overlapping themes: the integrity of past results, the role of students and teachers, and the pervasive political undercurrents distorting the assessment of the Free SHS policy.

Was This the First ‘Honest’ WASSCE Result? The Integrity Debate

The most provocative element of the public reaction suggests that the 2025 results are a true reflection of students’ academic abilities, exposed only after a significant reduction in examination malpractice and manipulation.

Many question whether the high pass rates recorded in previous years (2022-2024), where the core subjects consistently saw over $50\%$ A1-C6 passes, were artificially inflated. It is widely suggested that earlier results may have been “cosmetic” due to lowered marking schemes, a political push for favourable outcomes, or an environment where students were “freely allowed to copy”. The public discourse frequently contrasts the current low performance with an alleged ‘golden age’ of strict invigilation in 2025, which saw over 6,295 subject results cancelled for foreign materials and 653 entire results annulled for phone possession. The perceived absence of widespread ‘apor’ (cheating) this year is frequently cited as the reason for the exposed true performance. This belief suggests the problem is not a sudden drop in student quality, but the elimination of a system that previously concealed a widening academic deficit.

Student Effort and Teacher Competence: A Dual Failure

While the political debate rages, a deeper current of commentary points the finger directly at the students’ lack of discipline and the shortcomings of the educators.

• Students’ Lack of Seriousness: A strong consensus exists that today’s students do not read or learn, relying heavily on cheating or ‘apor’. Social media platforms like TikTok and the pervasive use of mobile phones are blamed for undermining their focus and commitment to studies. Furthermore, the open-access nature of the educational system, where all students gain admission to SHS regardless of their BECE grade, is cited as a reason for reduced effort, as the incentive to study hard at the foundational level has been removed.

• Teacher Morale and Quality: The other side of this academic coin is the teacher factor. The core role of teachers is acknowledged, but many point to their poor remuneration, delayed salaries, and lack of resources as demotivating factors. Additionally, there is a serious concern about the competence of some teachers, with some observers claiming that many contemporary SHS teachers are themselves products of the ‘apor’ system and struggle with basic subject matter and pedagogy. This dual challenge—unmotivated students and under-equipped or underpaid teachers—creates a fertile ground for poor learning outcomes.

  

The Cost of Politicization: Free SHS as a Scapegoat

The overwhelming volume of comments reveals that the conversation is highly politicized, with nearly every factor—from the results themselves to the very concept of the Free SHS (FSHS) policy—viewed through a partisan lens.

On one side, the policy is praised for eliminating financial barriers and expanding access for millions of children who would otherwise have been marginalized. Proponents argue that the government only provided the opportunity for free education and cannot be blamed if the students refuse to learn.

On the other side, the FSHS program is criticized for prioritizing quantity over quality, leading to systemic challenges like:

• Overcrowded classrooms and congested dormitories.

• Inadequate teaching materials, with some schools lacking textbooks for the new curriculum.

• Administrative decisions, such as longer vacation times and the perceived shift from a four-year to a three-year secondary duration, which may have reduced contact hours and compromised the depth of learning.

The results are now a political football, with one side accusing the current government of intentionally manipulating the results or raising the marking scheme to discredit the FSHS policy and justify a ‘review’. The opposing view blames the poor results entirely on the former administration for its alleged ‘politicization of education’ and for allowing cheating to create a good image of the policy.

A Call for an Educational Reset

The consensus, cutting across partisan lines, is that the current situation is a national emergency. The persistent focus on ‘who is to blame’—be it the former president, the current administration, the teachers, or the students—is actively destroying the children’s future and must cease immediately.

The path forward, as articulated through public sentiment, requires a total reset of the educational system. This includes:

Re-establishing Disciplinary Standards: Re-introducing stricter entrance requirements like a qualifying or entrance exam into SHS, rather than compulsory admission regardless of the BECE grade.

Addressing the Teacher Crisis: Equipping teachers well, catering for their needs, and ensuring they are adequately paid and motivated to deliver quality instruction.

READ: University Of Ghana General Arts Courses – Full List

Restoring Academic Rigour: Eliminating the culture of ‘apor’ by maintaining tight invigilation and penalizing malpractice severely. There is also a call to re-emphasize foundational subjects at the basic level, as poor performance is often rooted in weak English, Maths, Science, and Social Studies foundations at the JHS stage.

The 2025 WASSCE results are a mirror reflecting a deeply troubled national educational infrastructure, where political gamesmanship, teacher apathy, and student indiscipline have conspired to produce a generation whose academic readiness is severely compromised. The moment for collective, honest, and urgent intervention is now.