Minister of Basic Education Addresses Parliament on WASSCE Enrollment Crisis.

The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, on Thursday appeared before Parliament to address the escalating crisis surrounding the exclusion of hundreds of students from the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The Minister’s appearance followed a parliamentary summons amid growing national concern over the high number of dropouts from this year’s examination, which many see as a blow to the country’s educational progress.

Calling the situation a “grave concern,” Minister Sackey underscored the implications for quality assurance in Sierra Leone’s education system. He explained that while WASSCE is an international examination governed by regional standards, Sierra Leone does enjoy a degree of flexibility regarding registration deadlines. However, he noted with regret that despite repeated appeals to the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the Ministry’s requests to keep registration open were unsuccessful.

Minister Sackey attributed the crisis to administrative failures within some schools. He revealed that while 892 schools met the Ministry’s deadline for uploading student information, 82 did not. Furthermore, several schools reportedly submitted names of students who failed to meet the minimum qualifications—many presenting falsified Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.

“Some school heads deliberately ignored the Ministry’s clear directives, contributing directly to the current crisis,” he stated, while presenting statistical data to substantiate his claims. He further disclosed that schools in Freetown were among those cited for malpractice.

In response, the Ministry is actively engaging WAEC on the possibility of reopening the registration portal and is consulting with the High Commissions of Gambia and Nigeria to explore possible support for affected students.

As a remedial measure, the government has committed to funding private WASSCE exams for eligible candidates who were excluded due to administrative lapses. Minister Sackey emphasized that this intervention aims to prevent deserving students from being penalized for systemic failures.

During parliamentary debate, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara expressed disappointment, warning that the crisis risks eroding parental trust and undermining student morale. He questioned whether school leaders had lost confidence in the Ministry’s leadership. In contrast, Hon. Alpha Fode Madie Jabbie defended the Ministry’s efforts and called for concrete evidence before any accusations of negligence are levied.

Opposition Deputy Leader 1, Hon. Daniel Koroma, urged the government to act swiftly to safeguard student welfare, citing institutional weaknesses that contributed to the problem. Acting Leader of Government Business, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening the education sector and addressing the challenges head-on.

Concluding his remarks, Minister Sackey called for the introduction of a unique learner identity system to ensure more accurate student tracking in future. He also hinted at new legislative proposals to tighten oversight and accountability within the education system.

“The Ministry remains focused on finding immediate and long-term solutions to restore confidence and uphold the integrity of Sierra Leone’s education,” he assured Parliament.

Hassan Bangura

SLENA Correspondent

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