By: Saidu Jalloh
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has confirmed that 163,997 candidates have been successfully cleared, verified, and submitted to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for upload onto the Batch Registration System (BRS) ahead of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Speaking at the Government Weekly Press Conference on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, disclosed that 55,174 candidates were flagged as unmatched due to duplication and incomplete data during the verification process.
The Minister clarified that the WAEC BRS portal will remain open until 28 February 2026 and emphasized that there will be no extension beyond the stated deadline. He urged school authorities to urgently review and correct discrepancies to ensure that affected candidates are properly verified and uploaded before the portal closes.
To enhance accountability and data integrity, Minister Sackey announced that school authorities will be required to sign a Parliamentary-approved undertaking, holding them responsible for the accuracy and credibility of the information submitted for candidate registration.
He further assured the public that the Government will cover the examination fees for all 55,174 unmatched candidates, provided they are properly verified and cleared. However, he stressed the importance of prudent and responsible use of public funds, noting that only legitimate and fully verified candidates will benefit from the government subsidy.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to ensuring a transparent, credible, and efficient examination registration process, while safeguarding public resources and maintaining the integrity of Sierra Leone’s education system