Whenever the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) releases the results of May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the most important figure that gets students worried is withheld results.
Background
The examination body released the results of the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination on August 9, 2022, saying that 365,564 results of candidates were withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.
The data released showed that the number of withheld results (365,564) represented 22.83% of the total number of candidates that sat the examination.
The 2022 WASSCE recorded the highest number of withheld results in the history of the examination body. No time has the number of withheld results surpassed 20%.
What’s the cause?
It shows that more students indulge in one form of exam malpractice or the other, says WAEC Head of Nigeria National Office, Mr Patrick Areghan, “Preparations for examinations are poor. There is over-reliance on the so-called ‘Expo’, which is actually non-existent.
‘‘Reasons for this are not far-fetched. Candidates are no longer ready to learn. Candidates simply got frustrated when they got into the examination hall and discovered that all they had celebrated was fake.”
Other figures that the body makes public each year include:
- the number of candidates that registered for the exam,
- the percentage of passes and failures,
- the number of credits obtained by candidates,
- the percentage of credits in English Language and Mathematics,
- the number of students that obtained five credits and above,
- number of results that were cancelled,
- the number of withheld results,
- the number of pending results,
- the number and percentage of already processed results and being processed among others.
We will focus on the WAEC withheld results in this article and take a cursory look at the data available regarding the number of results that were withheld by the examination body from 2009 to date. To know the status of your result, you have to check the result on the WAEC portal
We’ll also tell you what it means for your WAEC result to be withheld and what you can possibly do to get your result released.
Data on WAEC Withheld Results in Nigeria from 2009 till date
| Exam Year | Number of withheld results | Percentage |
| 2022 | 365,564 | 22.83% |
| 2021 | 170,146 | 10.9% |
| 2020 | 215,149 | 13.98% |
| 2019 | 180,205 | 11.33% |
| 2018 | Unavailable | |
| 2017 | 214,952 | 13.79% |
| 2016 | 137,295 | 8.89% |
| 2015 | 118,101 | 7.41% |
| 2014 | 145,795 | 8.61% |
| 2013 | 112, 865 | 6.75% |
| 2012 | 122,00 | not available |
| 2011 | 81,573 | |
| 2010 | 77,168 | 5.71% |
| 2009 | 109,201 | 8.0% |
Withheld result explained
If your result isn’t among the ones that were released or it reads “withheld” you’re definitely going to be worried, but be sure that you’re not alone.
When your SSCE result is withheld by the examination body, you can’t confidently say if you passed or failed. You’re in the dark. You don’t know your fate. You’re at a crossroad. You can’t proceed with anything. Your ambition to gain admission to a high institution of your choice will automatically be put on hold if you don’t have an alternative like the National Examination Council (NECO)
For instance, the examination body revealed that 215,149 results were withheld in 2020 which represented 13.98 per cent while 170,146 candidates had their results withheld in the May/June 2021 exam, representing 10.9 per cent.
What could make WAEC withhold results?
If your examination hall or centre got a bad report from an external supervisor, your results could be among those that would be withheld.
Sometimes you hear that a group of students have their results withheld by WAEC or NECO while others have no issues in the same exam centre. When this happens, it’s most likely that the group of the affected students are in the same exam hall.
It doesn’t mean you cheated, but the misdemeanour of some students may drag you into the problem.
The major reason why your result could be held is: Examination Malpractice.
When will my withheld result be released?
When there is a report of exam malpractice, a committee is constituted to investigate the matter, your result can only be released (or not) depending on the findings of the committee.
If the committee only identifies some students as the perpetrator of exam malpractice, others would be exonerated and have their results released.
“The increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall and organised cheating in some schools are other big concerns,” Head, Nigeria National Office, Mr Patrick Areghan said during the release of May/June 2021 result.
What can I do if my result is withheld?
You can possibly do nothing. You can only stay updated to hear the final decision of the exam body by doing the following:
Keep in touch with your school (centre)
Keep in touch with colleagues who are in the same shoe as you
Keep checking online
Should I keep my hope alive?
Definitely, if you’re sure that your centre didn’t indulge or aid exam malpractices in the course of the conduct of the exam. But the decision lies in the committee report, if your centre is indicted, you might have to look forward for the coming year exam.
Difference between Withheld and Outstanding Results
While a withheld result is on the part of the student or his centre, an outstanding result is an error arising from the WAEC. Most times, the exam body calls is “the result being processed”
When this happens, it means that some students have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some issues being resolved.
An outstanding result shows an error when you try to access your grade on the official portal of WAEC.
This means you need not be worried, WAEC will speedily complete the processing to enable all the affected candidates get their results fully processed and released, subsequently.
What is cancelled result?
If your exam number reads, “cancelled” it’s final, you can NEVER see the result for that year. Your best alternative is to take another exam or re-sit in the following year.
Recap:
The withheld result is subject to investigation by a special investigative committee constituted by an examination body. Hope isn’t lost. You may be lucky when an investigation is completed.
When your result reads, “pending” it means an exam body is working on some resolvable issues.
When your result reads, “cancelled” that’s the end, it’s either you wait for another year or enrol for an alternative to WAEC.
Please waec release my result I mean my maths is still pending pls I need it that’s remains me to enter school please🙏🙏🙏
WASSCE pls I don’t want my results to be withheld o. I pray to get all my results correct
WAEC please am among the 2023 may/June period please release my result am innocent of any allegation of examination mal- practice. I read to write this exam my parents suffered alot for me to write this exam. Even when my mum was sick she took the money for her drugs to help complete my payment. If you all think am lying u can investigate my jamb result and you will see by God’s grace I did very well. I can’t bear to tell my mom this her B.p will drop very low please waec help me.
Please release our result
Please I have got admission into the federal polytechnic Nansarawa but the issue now is that my WAEC is withheld I didn’t know what To do. Please please release my result I really want to start school this year.
Waec pls release my result my mum suffered alot for me to sit for waec, I can’t even tell her my result is being held she might dieb of b.p, she’s the only one I have, pls I beg of u
I beg you in the name of the GOD you are worshipping please release our result please our parents know how they suffered to get the money in this hard time GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU DO SO
WAEC, please release my daughter’s results. I plead with you all in God’s name
God bless you all. Amen.
Please for God’s sake please release my held result I am pleading with God’s name. My only hope is on this result my dad suffered before he got money to register me please release my held result. God will answer all your prayers, sir.
Waec please release my results, please have mercy, just like god have mercy for us,
Innocent candidate are drawn to this, for all my afford and sleepless night, attending lesson, please do not let it go in vein.
If God can forgive us and make us and wake us every morning, for all the sin we have committed, god still forgive us. Why not you forgive us too. You know the saying, life na turn by turn. One dey everybody go get their you power and position, please I beg you, god name is too big to beg someone, but please forgive us like god forgives and be bless. Sir I spake for all candidate in Nigeria and African, please forgive and god we rewards you unconditionally amen.
I need screet way to check my result because of my scholarship I have finish everything clearly only the waec now need to me and I will get my visa
Please waec, I implore you to release my result. This is after so many years of overcoming the phobia of retaking this exam and go back to school. It wasn’t easy for me but I was determined and thus prepared it.
I had to quit my job, sponsor myself, traveled inter-state. I didn’t have issues with any of the supervisors. I am still in disbelief. I don’t know the way forward!! Thanks and God bless you
Plz why my result is withheld?
Waec official please release our result it not easy to raise money for an examination, you don’t know how long it took me to raise that money please I beg you release our result
Is waec held result for 2022 out yet?
WAEC, pls i am begging you to release my HELD result,without this result this year, my life is a mess, it took me a lot of hard labor to gather the money to sit for this WAEC 2022 exam.
I have no one to help me with my education, and after struggling so hard to get the money to register for the exam and serious reading in preparation for the exam, WHAT I GOT BACK WAS “ HELD RESULT”.
Pls, have mercy on us generally and release our result in due time.
Your labor shall not be in vain.
When I saw “HELD” on my result I was shocked for like two hours I can’t even say anything, from there I started crying asking God why me, after all the suffer, after school I will go to lecture I don’t sleep at night reading my text books and lesson notes, at the end waec gave me held how come? I know I’m not perfect I tried my best, I doesn’t violate any rules and regulations, waec now making me to think order wise, release my result pls, I beg you in thy name of God, God bless waec officials, God bless Nigeria, God bless west Africa
Hv they finally release ur dear?
Help me they held my result what can I do
Even mine was held.Please I didn’t indulge in any form of malpractice. WAEC body, please have mercy on us . You know we are d leaders of tomorrow. Please release our results.
Waec officials pls release my held result, i beg you in the name of the almighty.
Pls release my withheld result
Pls weac official release my result pls for God sake
I was shocked this morning seeing my daughter’s waec held, it interrupt my prayers.
But I told her it is well, they will release it because she did not do anything wrong. My daughter is a brilliant student, they call her professor, this is her 3rd time of writing not getting her papers.
As a born-again Christian I will encourage her and tell her that maybe God wants her to fully stand in faith before going to university.
I pray also against powers that are working against her also. I pray earnestly for her this time God told me he has answered only to see this. Am not lossing hope, the Lord will vindicate her.
This is a girl who will on her own decision to give wrong answers because she does want them to think she cheated, I asked her why do that she told me that is what they told them. She doesn’t ask people or talk less copy because she does not want to do restitution.
In maths she told me that she has to solve cancel, solve cancel and write please forgive it is a mistake and I asked her why she said her paper was too clean so she has to start making mistake.
I don’t understand it. My daughter can not stop crying. She said mum if they can give chance to write in their office where ever I won’t mind I don’t want to miss another year. Please what do I do. This why some children commit suicide because they cannot take it any longer. Waec cannot take one person’s mistake judge another.
Pls waec release my held result pls. for Christ sake
WAEC please release my result, with this result my life is a mess,I know how I suffered to write this exam now it’s help, please release my result I beg you in the of God, I’m the only son of my family and I wouldn’t like them to be ashamed of me,I wanna make my family proud of me,I wouldn’t like to rewrite this exam please release my result.THANK YOU
Please WAEC help me please nd release my held results 2022 Nov/Dec
I suffer doing house help just for me to get the money to register for the exam for me to enter school this.no one assist me.
Pls sir/ma pandon us whatever is it, have mercy nd release our results thanks nd God bless you Amen.
Waec please release my result I need to upload my result please I am begging you which one is there’s no results for this candidate
I was waiting for waec to release my result but yet still I didn’t see anything positive about my result,i was not even cought on any examination malpractice so when they withheld my result I was shocked and frustrated about it, I saw a message that said waec has released withheld result, I was very happy to hear that ,I thoroughly my self hence I was not involved in any rules against the examination my result is going to be released I said to my self, after someone days I tried to check on the web if I can see my result to be released,b it I still saw my withheld result that almost make me kill my self . I’m pleading to waec to release my rrsult please I’m from Sierra Leone
Please help me with my held result
Please waec official should release my result
i am pleading of you people this is the second time i write abeg
Please I Suffered To Write This Exam
I use God to beg You
Release It
WACE please help me to release my results,this is the only information I’m waiting for mostly please help
Please release my result
Waec pls release my result it has been held
My wace results is being held wace officials please release my results 🙏😭
My result is being held please waec official please release my result
My mom paid a huge amount for my waec,I suffered Trekking to school due to distance whether sunshine or rain
This is my second time of writing waec cos the first one was cancelled
I Registered this year in another center and my result again is held
I’m pleading to waec, release my held results,my life will be a mess if it’s cancelled again
Oo really don’t get it
I wrote twice too already but yet it was held
I’m fuckin tired fr
Thank you 😊
Have waec released your result?
When will waec release outstanding results, because I need to upload my result
Please release our results ooo, I suffer to do this exam, I paid this money by my self please release our results, God bless you sir and ma.