WAEC 2026: 38.5% of Candidates Failed Five or More Subjects, Including English and Mathematics

According to statistics released by WAEC on Tuesday, a total of 1,752,453 candidates registered for the examination across Nigeria. Of this number, 1,685,889 candidates sat the exams. The results indicate that only 61.5% obtained credits in five subjects or more, including English and Mathematics ,subjects generally required for admission into Nigerian universities.

This performance represents a slight decline compared to the 2025 diet, where 62.8% of candidates achieved five credits including English and Mathematics. The 2026 figure has triggered renewed debate among educators, policymakers, and parents about the persistent underperformance in the education sector despite increased government spending and various intervention programmes.

The Head of WAEC’s National Office in Nigeria, Dr. Amos Dangut, attributed the results to several factors, including inadequate teaching and learning facilities in many public schools, teacher shortages, poor student preparation, and the lingering effects of prolonged school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also noted that examination malpractice, though reduced, remains a challenge in some centres.

“While we acknowledge the modest improvement in some subject areas, the overall performance remains below expectation,” Dr. Dangut said. “We must collectively address the root causes — from teacher quality and motivation to infrastructure deficits and the need for a more practical, skills-based curriculum.”

English Language recorded a credit pass rate of 58.7%, while Mathematics stood at 55.4%. These two subjects continue to serve as major bottlenecks for university admission. Other core subjects showed mixed results: Civic Education recorded 71.2% credit passes, Biology 64.8%, Economics 59.1%, and Physics and Chemistry remained below 50% in many states.

Regional variations were also noticeable. States in the South-West and South-East generally performed better than those in the North-East and North-West, where insecurity, teacher absenteeism, and inadequate funding continue to hamper learning outcomes.

The latest WAEC results are expected to create significant pressure on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and Nigerian universities during the 2026/2027 admission cycle. With many candidates failing to meet the minimum credit requirements in five subjects, the pool of qualified applicants for higher education may shrink further.

Education experts have warned that this trend, if not reversed, could worsen the already high number of out-of-school children and limit Nigeria’s ability to develop the skilled workforce needed for its growing digital and industrial economy.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) described the results as “a national emergency” and called for an emergency education summit involving the federal and state governments, teachers’ unions, and development partners.

“These results reflect years of neglect of the teaching profession, poor funding, and inadequate infrastructure,” NUT President **Comrade Audu Amba** said. “We cannot continue like this. The government must declare a state of emergency on basic and secondary education and commit adequate resources to teacher training, welfare, and school infrastructure.”

Parents and civil society groups have also expressed disappointment. The Centre for the Advancement of Literacy and Education in Nigeria described the 38.5% failure rate in five or more subjects as “unacceptable in a country that aspires to be among the top 20 economies by 2030.”

The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, acknowledged the poor performance and promised that the government would review the results carefully. He said the ministry would work with state governments to identify and address specific weaknesses in schools with consistently poor WAEC results.

Education reform advocates argue that the country needs a fundamental overhaul of its secondary education system. They recommend a shift from rote learning to a more practical, skills-based curriculum, investment in digital learning tools, improved teacher remuneration, and stronger parental involvement.

As WAEC continues to release results to individual candidates through its portal, many students and parents are anxiously checking outcomes. For thousands of candidates who did not meet the required credits, the focus now shifts to opportunities for remarking, supplementary examinations, or alternative pathways such as technical and vocational education.

The 2026 WAEC results once again highlight the deep challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector. While a significant number of students performed creditably, the large percentage failing multiple core subjects serves as a sobering reminder that much work remains to be done if the country is to build the human capital required for sustainable development.