Lawyer and former Attorney General Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara has expressed concerns over Sierra Leone's education system after the release of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results. He questioned whether the government's Free Quality School Education program, introduced in 2018, is delivering the promised learning outcomes. Kamara, who comes from a family with a long-standing background in education, argued that the examination performance exposed significant weaknesses in the country's education system.
The 2026 WASSCE results revealed that only 9.7% of candidates obtained a credit in English, while 63.33% failed the subject. Additionally, nearly 42,000 registered candidates did not sit the English examination. Kamara attributed the poor performance partly to the challenges students and teachers face in English-only classrooms, citing the language barrier as a contributing factor to the widespread failure.
Kamara also raised concerns about teaching standards and learning conditions, citing figures that suggest 38% of the teaching workforce lacks formal qualifications. He pointed to overcrowded classrooms and shortages of textbooks as additional obstacles to effective learning. These challenges, he argued, hinder the government's goal of providing quality education.
The lawyer further questioned the credibility of the examination system, referring to 13,237 results reportedly withheld in 2025 and 47,454 in 2026. He argued that these figures raise concerns not only about educational standards but also about confidence in the fairness of the examination process.
Kamara's criticism comes as the 2026 WASSCE results draw public attention to student performance and the effectiveness of education reforms in Sierra Leone. He concluded that the WASSCE results should be viewed as an assessment of the government's education policy, maintaining that the promise of quality education has yet to produce the expected outcomes.
The Free Quality School Education initiative, introduced in 2018, aimed to expand access to schooling, but Kamara argued that this has not necessarily translated into improved academic performance. The government's efforts to reform the education sector have been ongoing, but the latest examination results have sparked renewed debate about the effectiveness of these initiatives.
The 2026 WASSCE results have significant implications for Sierra Leone's education sector, highlighting areas that require improvement. As the government continues to implement its education policy, the criticism from Kamara and others is likely to inform discussions about the future of education in Sierra Leone.
Key points
- Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara criticizes Sierra Leone's education system following poor 2026 WASSCE results.
- Only 9.7% of candidates obtained a credit in English, while 63.33% failed the subject.
- Kamara questions the credibility of the examination system, citing withheld results.
