Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, a former Education Minister, has disclosed that he was not surprised that the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results were bad compared to previous years.
According to Dr Adutwum, the Akufo-Addo government used to pay teachers for extra classes to prepare WASSCE candidates, but the current Mahama government discontinued it.
Dr Adutwum further highlighted that claims that the 2025 WASSCE results were bad due to the Ghana Education Service and other authorities stopping exam malpractices are not factual.
He disclosed that in 2025 6000 subjects were cancelled compared to 4000 in 2024.
Speaking during an interview on JOYNEWS, Dr Adutwum explained, “We used to pay teachers to teach extra classes to prepare the students, but this government discontinued paying the teachers for that aspect. So, to me, I was not surprised that we got the results that we got. What I was surprised by was when I heard in the news that somehow the students didn’t do well because they had stopped cheating.
Then I went to check the number of exams that were cancelled, and this year, 6000 subjects were cancelled compared to 4000 in 2024, so it could not be true”.
It will be recalled that the 2025 WASSCE result released by WAEC revealed 220,008 out of 461,736 students failed Core Mathematics, marking the worst performance in the subject in seven years.
Also, “only 48.73% of candidates attained grades A1 to C6 in 2025. This represents a massive collapse from the 66.86% achieved in 2024. A total of 209,068 candidates passed with A1-C6, but 114,872 candidates (26.77%) failed the subject outright with an F9 grade.
Additionally, 131,097 students (30.27%) failed English Language, 161,606 students (39.87%) failed Integrated Science, and 196727 students (44%) failed Social Studies.
A total of 1,021 schools registered candidates for the examination, representing a slight 0.24% increase over 2024, while 5,821 candidates (1.26%) were absent.
Some Ghanaians reacting to Dr Adutwum’s remarks stated, “How is it that a country such as ours does not still have a blueprint for educating its people. We are always experimenting and changing policies and modalities. Are we so shortsighted?
Given that we didn’t invent formal education, can’t we just copy or adapt, right?
It’s tiring”.
One netizen added, “2025 candidates were in school for 3 years. They spent 2 years when the NPP was in power. They only had some months with NDC. And for some reason, you want me to believe the poor performance was due to what you are telling us. Okay, nice try”.
One X user argued, “I honestly believe that they were using that so-called extra classes to rob the nation of millions of Ghana cedis. The duty of an education minister is to ensure that teachers do their work properly to produce good results”.
“Not true ..
Extra classes were totally disallowed. Headmasters and mistresses were demoted in rank back to the classroom because of funds taken from these so-called extra classes. Why lie?
The impudence…”, one X user added.
A netizen argued, “Our time extra classes, which we paid for ourselves, were actually banned. Schools that were caught were sanctioned. But we still performed well. The recent WASSCE performance has nothing to do with extra classes. So the 6-8hr normal class isn’t enough?”
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has said the poor WASSCE results are due to several years of neglect in basic education.
President Mahama described the situation as a serious concern for the government, parents, and the wider public.
He highlighted that it is mind-boggling that with the same teachers, the same factors in play, one batch of students passed their exams and the other failed.
Speaking at the launch of the STEMBox initiative for primary schools, John Mahama explained, “It has become an issue of great concern to governments, parents, and the public at large. I was speaking with the minister, and I’ve asked him to do an analysis of the examiner’s report to try and decipher what could have gone so disastrously wrong”.
“It is mind-boggling that with the same teachers, the same factors in play, just from one batch to another, one batch does so disastrously. And so we need to get to the bottom of it.”
“But it also emphasises the issue of foundational learning. One of the major things that has taken place in the last several years is the neglect of basic education,” he said.
Watch the video below:
We used to pay teachers for extra classes, but this government discontinued it. So I was not surprised that the 2025 WASSCE results were worse than previous years – Dr. Adutwum.#TheCareerTrail #JoyLearningTV #JoyNews pic.twitter.com/ifCCY5qmT0
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) May 4, 2026