Only about 17 per cent of candidates who sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) obtained aggregates ranging from 6 to 18, the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Secretariat has disclosed.

According to the CSSPS Secretariat Coordinator, Sherif Sulemana, the figure represents approximately 107,000 candidates out of the nearly 620,000 who sat for the examination.

“If you look at the data for the performance of the candidates, we only had about 17 per cent of the candidates getting aggregates from 6 to 18,” he said.

Mr Sulemana made the disclosure during an appearance on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, September 3.

He said the overall performance of candidates varied significantly, with some recording very low scores in the core subjects.

“You find out somebody got one, somebody got ten over 100, somebody got, say, twelve, twenty over 100, and that qualifies as a failure,” he said.

He further disclosed that about 35 per cent of candidates, representing approximately 252,000 students, obtained aggregates ranging from 6 to 24.

“We only had about 252,000, or about 35 per cent of the candidates, getting from aggregate 6 to 24,” he added.

The figures come as authorities prepare to place successful candidates into Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Senior High Technical Schools across the country.

Mr Sulemana also disclosed that about 565,000 candidates qualified for placement under the CSSPS, while approximately 55,000 candidates did not meet the requirements for placement.

He explained that eligibility for placement is largely determined by a candidate’s performance in English Language and Mathematics, with candidates who fail either subject disqualified from placement.

Meanwhile, WAEC has withheld the subject results of 2,722 candidates from 229 schools who sat for the 2026 BECE over their alleged involvement in examination malpractice.

WAEC has also cancelled the entire results of 601 candidates for engaging in various forms of examination malpractice.

The development was contained in a press statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John K. Kapi, on Wednesday, July 29.

According to WAEC, the decision was approved at the 37th Meeting of the Final Awards and Examiners’ Appointment Committee for the BECE, held on July 21.

The release of the BECE results has paved the way for the placement of successful candidates into Senior High Schools across the country.

Commenting on the release of the results and the upcoming placement exercise, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, assured the public that he would not interfere in the work of WAEC.

“As I've always indicated as Minister, I don't interfere with the work of assessment institutions like WAEC. It is within their domain,” Mr Iddrisu said.

Mr Iddrisu, however, acknowledged the challenges parents and students face during the school placement process, particularly due to limited infrastructure and the growing demand for senior high school education.

While conceding that available resources have not been sufficient to address the issue in its entirety, he said the government was pursuing measures to bridge the gap.

Among the measures is the Sustainable Development for Improved Access to Tertiary Education and Jobs (STAR-J) project, which seeks to strengthen and expand infrastructure within the education sector.