FBC, IPAM Lower English Entry Requirements Following 2026 WASSCE Results
Sahid Bangura Fourah Bay College (FBC) and the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) have revised their English Language admission requirements for the 2026/2027 academic year, allowing candidates with a D7 pass to apply for diploma and certificate programmes following poor performance in the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The decision was taken by the Executive Committee of the Senate of the University of Sierra Leone (USL) at a meeting on Monday, November 2, 2026, in response to the low number of candidates who obtained credit passes in English Language in this year’s examination.
Under the revised requirements, FBC and IPAM will accept a C6 credit in English Language for all degree programmes, while candidates applying for diploma and certificate programmes will be eligible with a D7 pass.
However, the admission requirements for the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) and the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme at FBC will remain unchanged.
The decision follows the poor performance in English Language recorded in the 2026 WASSCE. Figures released by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education show that only 9.77 per cent of candidates obtained grades between A1 and C6 in the subject, while 63.33 per cent failed.
Mathematics recorded a stronger performance, with 62.15 per cent of candidates obtaining a credit or better. Overall, the examination recorded an 81.4 per cent paper pass rate, while 64.3 per cent of candidates whose results were released obtained at least five credits in one sitting.
Results for 47,454 candidates remain withheld pending investigations into suspected examination malpractice.
Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sierra Leone, Professor Aiah Randolph Lebbie, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to maintaining academic standards while addressing the challenges created by the examination results.
The revised requirements are intended to provide additional admission opportunities for candidates affected by the poor English Language results, while retaining the existing standards for medical and law programmes.
The changes apply specifically to the 2026 WASSCE results and prospective applicants have been advised to consult the university’s official admissions portal, admissions.usl.edu.sl, for programme-specific requirements and application information.
The application portal remains open, with November 30, 2026, listed as the final submission deadline for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The University of Sierra Leone’s decision comes as other tertiary institutions, including the University of Makeni, have also introduced temporary admission arrangements in response to the poor English Language performance.