The Accra High Court has dismissed the West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) request to delay the release of over 10,500 withheld WASSCE results. During a hearing on February 20, 2025, presiding judge Justice Ali Baba Abature ruled that WAEC failed to provide a valid justification for withholding the results. The court also imposed a GH₵5,000 fine on the council.

In January 2025, the court ordered WAEC to release the results, which had been withheld due to alleged examination malpractices. WAEC later applied for a stay of execution, arguing that releasing the results could interfere with ongoing investigations. However, Justice Abature rejected this claim, emphasizing that the indefinite withholding of results would unfairly affect the academic future of the candidates.

WAEC’s legal representative, Monalisa Oppong Owusu, maintained that some candidates had engaged in malpractice, and the investigations were necessary. However, the court pointed out that WAEC had not formally charged or informed the students of any specific wrongdoing. The judge insisted that the affected candidates should not suffer academic setbacks due to prolonged investigations.

Following the court’s decision, WAEC must immediately release the results, allowing students to proceed with university admissions and other academic plans. The ruling brings relief to many affected candidates and their families, who had expressed concerns over delays in accessing their results.