An Accra High Court has rejected the West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) request for a stay of execution on an earlier ruling that mandated the release of withheld West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
WAEC had withheld the results of around 10,000 candidates, citing alleged exam malpractices and irregularities, following an announcement made on December 30, 2024.
In response, four affected students filed a petition on January 30, 2025, challenging the decision, leading to a ruling in their favour.
The court ordered WAEC to release the results without any annotations or disclaimers, criticising the council’s rationale for withholding them as inconsistent and unclear.
The court further stated that withholding the results could impede the academic and professional futures of the affected students.
Despite the ruling, WAEC sought a stay of execution, requesting that the decision be put on hold pending an appeal.
However, during a hearing on February 20, 2025, Justice Ali Baba Abature dismissed the application, ruling that WAEC had failed to provide adequate grounds for delaying the release.
