Only about 35 percent of candidates who sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) obtained aggregates ranging from 6 to 24, the Secretariat Coordinator of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), Sherif Sulemana, has disclosed.

According to him, the figure represents approximately 252,000 candidates out of the about 620,000 students who sat for this year’s examination.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, September 3, Mr Sulemana said the performance data showed that a relatively small proportion of candidates achieved aggregates within the 6 to 24 range.

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

He further disclosed that the proportion of candidates who obtained aggregates between 6 and 18 was even lower, at about 17 per cent, representing approximately 107,000 candidates.

The figures come as authorities prepare to begin the placement of qualified BECE candidates into Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Senior High Technical Schools across the country.

Mr Sulemana also revealed that about 565,000 candidates qualified for placement under the CSSPS, while approximately 55,000 candidates would not qualify for placement.

He explained that eligibility for placement is largely determined by performance in English Language and Mathematics, with candidates who fail either subject becoming ineligible for placement.

The disclosure also highlights the varying levels of performance recorded in this year’s examination, with Mr Sulemana citing instances where some candidates obtained extremely low scores in some 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.

Meanwhile, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the subject results of 2,722 candidates from 229 schools over alleged involvement in examination malpractice.

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

The development was contained in a statement signed by WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John K. Kapi, following the Council’s consideration of cases at its 37th Meeting of the Final Awards and Examiners’ Appointment Committee for the BECE.

The release of the results has paved the way for the 2026 school placement exercise.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has meanwhile assured the public that he will not interfere in WAEC’s assessment processes, while acknowledging the challenges associated with accommodating the growing demand for senior high school education.