The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Banjul Office, has released the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results for school candidates, highlighting a significant increase in participation but persistent struggles in foundational subjects.
With 20,247 candidates from 156 senior secondary schools registering—a 12.22% rise from 18,042 in 2024—the results paint a mixed picture of academic progress, with notable strengths in technical and scientific subjects overshadowed by low pass rates in English Language and Mathematics.
The 2025 candidature comprised 12,643 females (62.44%) and 7,604 males (37.56%), reflecting a continued trend of higher female participation. Candidates were examined across 40 subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, and a range of Science, Arts, Commerce, Technical, and Vocational disciplines. Of the 18,819 candidates with complete records (92.94% of the total), only 961 (5.11%) achieved credit passes in five or more subjects, including the critical combination of English and Mathematics. Among these top performers, 55.78% were female, and 44.22% were male, indicating a slight edge for female candidates.
Compared to 2024, the 5.11% pass rate for this benchmark is concerningly low, though specific pass/failure data for 2024 in The Gambia is unavailable.
Delving into subject-specific performance, the 2025 results reveal stark contrasts. English Language saw a credit pass rate of just 19.8%, while Mathematics was even lower at 7.3%, both described as “unacceptably low” by WAEC. These figures compare unfavorably to regional data from Nigeria, where 2024 pass rates were 73.11% for English and 66.86% for Mathematics, indicating that The Gambia lags significantly behind in these foundational subjects. The low performance in these areas continues to hinder students’ eligibility for higher education, which often requires credits in both.
However, the results also highlight remarkable strengths in technical and scientific subjects. Physics led with a 70.5% credit pass rate, followed closely by Auto Mechanics at 69.8%, Chemistry at 52.7%, and Health Science at 50.9%. These high pass rates signal strong student aptitude in STEM and vocational fields, offering a promising foundation for The Gambia’s aspirations in science, engineering, and health sectors. No direct comparison with 2024 is available for these subjects, but their performance stands out as a bright spot in the 2025 results.
Performance trends show a range of outcomes. At the top, 457 candidates (2.43%) achieved credits in nine subjects, and 588 (3.12%) in eight subjects, demonstrating exceptional academic breadth. In the middle range, 806 candidates (4.28%) earned credits in six subjects, and 1,799 (9.03%) in three subjects. Approximately 17% of candidates secured at least one credit pass, indicating broad engagement but a need for targeted support to elevate performance. These figures are based on the 18,819 candidates with complete records, as 797 candidates (3.94%) have incomplete results still being processed, and 631 (3.12%) have results withheld due to suspected examination malpractice, reflecting WAEC’s commitment to academic integrity.
Compared to 2024, the 12.22% increase in candidature (from 18,042 to 20,247) highlights growing access to education but also strains on resources, potentially contributing to the low pass rates. The failure rate—94.89% of candidates with complete records not achieving the five-credit benchmark—suggests a slight worsening from 2024, when regional data indicated a lower failure rate (27.88% in Nigeria). The withheld and incomplete results further complicate the 2025 picture, but their impact is relatively small.
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) sees the results as a call to action. “While the low pass rates in English and Mathematics demand urgent intervention, the exceptional performances in technical and scientific subjects show our students’ potential,” a MoBSE said. The Ministry plans to prioritize investment in high-performing subjects, scale up support for technical and vocational education, and redouble efforts to improve foundational learning in English and Mathematics. These steps aim to create a balanced education system that leverages strengths and addresses weaknesses.
Stakeholders, including school principals, teachers, and parents, were commended for their support. As The Gambia navigates these results, the focus is on transforming challenges into opportunities, ensuring graduates are equipped to drive national development. The 2025 WASSCE results, while highlighting significant hurdles, also showcase the resilience and potential of Gambian students, setting the stage for targeted reforms to shape a brighter educational future.
