…lists compulsory subjects for Sciences, Arts, others
By Chucks Nwonye
The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has announced major changes to the subject combinations for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, affecting Science, Arts and Commercial students nationwide.
The new policy, which is expected to take effect for the 2026/2027 academic session, streamlines subject selection and restricts Economics exclusively to students in the Commercial/Business department.
Under the revised guideline, Science students can no longer register for Economics, while Arts students studying Literature in English, Government or History are also barred from taking Economics as part of their WASSCE subjects. Only Commercial/Business students will be allowed to include Economics in their subject list.
The Council said the reform is aimed at streamlining academic focus, enhancing specialization and preparing students for future careers and entrepreneurship.
According to the new structure released by the examination body, students are required to register for between seven and nine subjects, including the three compulsory subjects for all candidates. The three compulsory subjects remain English Language, Mathematics and Civic Education.
For Science students, the core subjects for 2026/2027 are English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Their optional subjects include Further Mathematics, Geography, Agricultural Science, Technical Drawing and Nigerian Language such as Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa.
For Arts students, core subjects include English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, Literature in English, Government or History, Religious Studies – CRS or IRS – and Nigerian Language. The Council noted that Economics will only be allowed for Arts students if permitted under local WAEC guidelines, but in general, Arts students offering Literature, Government or History are barred from Economics.
For Commercial students, core subjects are English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, Economics, Accounting, Commerce and Office Practice. Their optional subjects include Further Mathematics, Bookkeeping, Agricultural Science or Biology, and Nigerian Language.
WAEC also emphasized the compulsory selection of at least one trade subject from 35 approved options to equip students with practical and entrepreneurial skills. The trade subjects include Animal Husbandry, Carpentry and Joinery, Catering Craft Practice, Data Processing, Garment Making, Photography, Welding and Fabrication, GSM Phone Repairs, Marketing, Plumbing, Tourism, Upholstery and others.
The Council gave subject selection guidelines for candidates, directing that every candidate must register the three compulsory subjects, choose one trade subject, and pick two to five additional subjects from their category, making a total of eight to nine subjects per student.
Education analysts say the new structure aligns secondary education with global standards and modern curriculum reforms, as it pushes students to focus more on their core areas of specialization rather than combining unrelated subjects.
The Council advised schools, parents and candidates to visit its official website https://www.waecdirect.org for full details and registration instructions, urging them to plan their 2026 subjects carefully to avoid disqualification.
With the new policy, WAEC said it hopes to strengthen career pathways and ensure that secondary school graduates are better prepared for tertiary education and the job market.
