wassce grading system 2018

By | March 14, 2019

wassce grading system 2018, Before we get into the details about the grading system, here are some important things you should know about the WASSCE exam.

  • WASSCE (May/June) is an exam provided for both public and private schools in West Africa. Exams are done during the summer period in May and June and students can have their results in August. Additionally, they need to be in a specific set of uniforms selected by the board.
  • Students in private and public schools likewise do WASSCE (November and December). Wearing uniforms is not compulsory when sitting for this exam. However, candidates need to adhere to some rules such as registering biometrically. Results come out in December.

Simple steps on how to calculate WASSCE grades

Recently, the West African Examination Council provided its new way of grading. It is a schedule which will be followed by candidates sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for both public and private schools.

The WAEC has provided comprehensive guidelines for the WASSCE grading system. It also explains in details how marks are awarded including WASSCE core maths. A grading system applies for both WAEC private examination, and WAEC government exam. Under the new WASSCE grading system, the grades would appear as below:

  • A student who gets an A1 is excellent
  • B2 stands for very good
  • B3 is for good
  • C4, C5, and C6 are interpreted as a credit
  • D7 and D8 are interpreted as pass, while F9 is fail

The WAEC Ghana grading system can also be interpreted through percentages, with each grade having its definition.

  • A1 which stands for excellent is given a rate of between 75%-100%
  • B2 which is explained as very good is from 70% 74%
  • B3 is good, and candidates are awarded 65%-69%
  • C4 which is credit is from 60%-64%
  • C5 that is another credit is from 55%-59%
  • C6 also a credit, with a lower grade is given 50%-54%
  • D7 is a pass with 45%-49%
  • E8 which is a pass is from 40%-45%
  • F9 which is for fail has the lowest percentage from 0%-39%

Before releasing the new system, there was much confusion regarding the WAEC grading system. The decision to come up with a new system for grading was reached upon by key stakeholders in the Ghana Education Service (GES).

All avenues have been pursued to ensure the process on how to interpret WASSCE results became effective. GES acting Director-General assured candidates of meeting up with various universities in the country to clear out the confusion. The WAEC grading scale was released in November 2017, for several institutions to become acquainted with the new grading system. By beginning of January 2018, most universities were adapting to the new system.