US$1.37 Million WASSCE Claim: Education Minister Sackey Sets the Record Straight
Aaron Parker Sierra Leone’s Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, has denied issuing a statement circulating on social media that attributes explanations for the delay in the release of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results to him.
In a clarification, Sackey said the statement, which also claimed that the Government had saved US$1.37 million, was not issued by him, his office or the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.
He described the words, figures and explanations attributed to him as fabricated, adding that the circulating story even claimed he had spoken on Saturday, 24 October, a date he said had not yet come.
The minister acknowledged the anxiety among pupils, parents and teachers awaiting the examination results, stressing that misinformation on an issue affecting families across Sierra Leone should not be encouraged.
He maintained that all official updates on the 2026 WASSCE results would be communicated exclusively by the Ministry and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) through their verified channels.
Sackey urged the public to disregard statements that do not appear on his official pages or the Ministry’s platforms and encouraged people to verify information before sharing it.
He also called on media organisations to confirm information with the Ministry before publication and to correct the circulating story without delay.
The minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s willingness to provide accurate information, describing responsible journalism as an important partner in education.