MONROVIA — The Liberia National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has extended the registration period for 2026 school candidates, citing widespread delays in the submission of candidate data by schools across the country. The new deadline is set for Sunday, January 24, 2026, providing a final window for schools to complete the process.
In a statement signed by P. S. Nagbe, Senior Public Affairs Officer of WAEC Liberia, the Council urged school authorities and secretariats to take advantage of the extension and ensure full compliance with registration requirements. The statement emphasized that technical assistance teams have been deployed nationwide to assist schools encountering registration challenges.
“The extension is to afford schools that have not completed the registration of their candidates the opportunity to do so in straight adherence to the extension date indicated above,” WAEC stated, highlighting the council’s intent to ensure all eligible candidates are properly registered.
The move underscores a long-standing challenge in Liberia’s education system, where administrative inefficiencies, lack of digital infrastructure, and limited capacity in schools have often resulted in delays in student registration for critical examinations.
WAEC has detailed a county-by-county deployment plan for technical teams, aimed at providing on-the-ground support. In Margibi and Montserrado counties, teams are scheduled from January 19 to 21 in Kakata and surrounding areas, and from January 22 to 24 in Harbel and Montserrado districts 1, 2, and 3. Officials can be contacted at 0770521253, 0770904812, and 0776344245 for assistance.
In Lofa, Nimba, and Bong counties, WAEC teams will be stationed from January 19 in Kolahun and Foya, January 20 in Zorzor and Salayea, and January 21 in Saclepea, followed by Sanniquellie on January 22, Gbarnga on January 23, and Totota on January 24. Contact numbers include 0776363771 and 0775140994.
Similarly, in Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, and Bomi, teams are deployed from January 19 in Robertsport, January 20 in Tiene and Sinje, January 21 in Bopolu, January 22 in Weamawo, January 23 in Tubmanburg, and January 24 in Jenneh and Dewoin. The designated contact number is 0776893534.
For Bassa, Rivercess, and Sinoe, assistance will be provided from January 19 to 20 in Greenville, January 21 in Cestos, January 22 in Yarpah’s Town, January 23 in LAC, and January 24 in Buchanan. WAEC officials can be reached at 0775544651 and 0770202081.
In Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, and Grand Kru, the schedule spans January 19 to 24, with teams stationed in Toe’s Town, Kaweaken, Barclayville, Pleebo, Zwedru, Fishtown, Borrobo, Kaloken, Harper, and CRC. Officials are available at 0881226700 and 0777833790.
WAEC emphasized that schools should liaise directly with these teams to overcome challenges related to internet connectivity, data entry errors, and verification procedures, which have historically delayed candidate registration and examination preparation.
“The teams are currently deployed across the country to provide them with technical assistance aimed at resolving the challenges they are currently encountering,” WAEC stated, reiterating the council’s commitment to supporting educational institutions.
The extension also reflects systemic governance and policy implementation challenges within Liberia’s education sector, where deadlines are often missed due to limited planning, inadequate oversight, and resource constraints at both school and county levels.
By extending the deadline, WAEC aims to mitigate potential inequities in student access to national examinations, ensuring that no candidate is unfairly excluded from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) due to administrative delays.
Education experts note that repeated extensions, while helpful, highlight broader institutional weaknesses that require strategic reforms, including digital record management, training of school administrators, and improved coordination with national examination authorities.
The timing of the extension also places pressure on the Boakai administration, which has prioritized education reform as a key pillar of national development. Delays in candidate registration underscore the practical difficulties of implementing effective policy in schools with limited infrastructure.
With the final registration deadline now less than a week away, schools that have not completed their submissions face a critical compliance window, and any further delay could jeopardize students’ ability to participate in the 2026 examinations.
WAEC’s deployment of teams and hotline support represents a proactive step, but also signals a need for longer-term systemic solutions that reduce reliance on emergency interventions to ensure examination readiness.
As Liberia prepares for the 2026 WASSCE, the extended registration period highlights the intersection of education administration, governance, and national policy priorities, challenging both the Ministry of Education and the Boakai administration to strengthen institutional capacity and accountability.
WAEC concluded its statement with a firm call for adherence to the new deadline: “It is hoped that all concerned should adhere to the new deadline and act accordingly,” signaling the council’s intent to enforce registration compliance and maintain examination integrity.
