Over 4,000 Students Omitted from WASSCE June 2025 Exams in Sierra Leone

The Tonkolili Network Movement for Families Empowerment Organization (TNMFEO) has revealed a critical issue impacting education in Sierra Leone.

More than 4,000 students are at risk of missing out on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for June 2025 due to an oversight. These students had their Continuous Assessment Grades (CASS) submitted to the Ministry’s website but were surprisingly left off the approved candidates list.

The community-based organization, acting as a pressure group in the Western Area, has brought the issue to the forefront, threatening legal action and nationwide school strikes if the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) fails to address the situation swiftly.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Minister of MBSSE, the organization, led by Secretary General Lamin Issa Sesay Esq., expressed gratitude for the Ministry’s efforts in the education sector.

However, their tone quickly shifted to alarm, highlighting the “widespread elimination of registered candidates” as a primary concern among parents and students, allegedly contributing to a rise in school dropouts.

The pressure group claims to have conducted a seven-day tour and research across learning institutions in the Western region and other sub-regions, revealing that over four thousand (4,000) students whose Continuous Assessment Grades (CASS) were uploaded onto the Ministry’s website have been inexplicably omitted from the list of approved WASSCE candidates. This has reportedly caused significant distress and frustration among affected students and their parents, who are demanding an immediate explanation and resolution.

The letter pointedly questions the increase in such omissions under the current Minister’s tenure, emphasizing the critical role of education in national development and stating they “cannot remain silent and watch the future of the young generation continue to shrink.”

Disturbing findings from their investigation revealed instances where schools registered up to eight hundred (800) candidates, yet only twenty-five (25) were approved to sit the June 2025 examinations. In even more alarming cases, some schools reportedly received zero approved candidates. The organization argues that such a situation poses a severe threat to the nation’s human capital development, built over years of investment.

The pressure group is urgently calling on the government and other educational partners to prioritize the value of education for the betterment of Sierra Leone, referencing the nation’s historical significance as the “Athens of West Africa.” They assert that the country cannot afford to lag behind in educational progress.

The organization urged the MBSSE and the government to “act swiftly” in addressing the situation, particularly with the proposed examination period rapidly approaching.

They warned that failure to provide a satisfactory resolution would lead to legal action or a “nationwide peaceful schools strike march” intended to halt the May/June WASSCE examination. The group stated that even the approved candidates would stand in solidarity with their affected peers and refuse to participate until the issue is resolved.