By Emmanuel Mbowa
Freetown 24th November 2025- The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has confirmed that Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3 pupils will sit exams in 37 subjects during the 2026 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The subjects include 20 new and 17 old ones, drawn from both the old and new curricula.
Augustine Bamie Anthony, Communications Specialist at MBSSE, told Truth Media that the decision follows growing public concern over whether final‑year pupils would be assessed on subjects from both curricula. He explained that while the new curriculum introduces 76 subjects across five streams, full implementation will not take place until 2028.
“Exams will be conducted for all SSS 3 students and assessed on 37 subjects from both the old and new curricula for the 2026 WASSCE,” Bamie said. He added that subjects such as Robotics, STEAM, and others in the Sciences and Technologies faculty require careful preparation, particularly in terms of teaching and learning materials.
“The dream of this new curriculum is to have an expansive and functional five streams in the SSS which will cater to every category of student, but it does not have to be rolled out entirely. So, for the 2026 and 2027 academic years, students will be taught and assessed on 37 subjects,” he explained.
He further noted that students entering SSS 1 will begin learning the new curriculum across all streams, progressing through SSS 2 and 3. By 2028, the curriculum will be fully functional, and exams will be drawn entirely from the new system. “It will disadvantage the children if we roll out the five streams prematurely. This is the transition plan,” Bamie said.
Foday Kuyateh, Western Regional Secretary of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU), also confirmed the conduct of the 2026 WASSCE using the 37 subjects. However, he expressed concern about the persistent challenges with teaching and learning materials, especially under a curriculum designed to promote practical learning and hands‑on skills.
“For us at SLTU, we welcome the new curriculum, but the challenges are there. With those challenges, the government, SLTU, and our education partners should engage and work to tackle them and ensure we overcome them amicably,” Kuyateh said. He stressed the need for teacher training in new subjects such as Politics and Governance, which is similar to the old subject Government, and others like Food Security.
Salieu Kamara, Acting Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, confirmed that the council will examine pupils on the 37 subjects in 2026 and 2027. “We are all working in collaboration, and we are set to conduct the exams. There are 76 subjects in all the streams, but we will only set questions from the listed 37, and will fully assess students in all of the streams by 2028,” he explained.
“We have done the needful. Come May–June 2026, questions will be drawn from the selected subjects,” Kamara added.
While approval has been given for the 2026 WASSCE to cover 37 subjects, skepticism remains among teachers and students about the marking scheme for the 20 new subjects. Despite assurances from MBSSE, WAEC, and SLTU, concerns linger that differences between old and new subjects could affect performance.
