AYV News February 19, 2026
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, has firmly stated that there will be no extension of the deadline for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Batch Registration System (BRS), urging school authorities nationwide to act swiftly before the portal closes on February 28, 2026.
Addressing concerns surrounding the ongoing registration process, the Minister clarified that the WAEC BRS portal remains open until the stated deadline and called on affected schools to urgently review and correct any discrepancies in candidate data.
“There will be no extension,” he emphasised, stressing that school administrators must take full responsibility for ensuring that all submitted information is accurate and complete.
To strengthen accountability, Hon. Sackey disclosed that school authorities will be required to sign a Parliamentary-approved undertaking, committing themselves to the accuracy and integrity of the data submitted for their candidates. The move, he said, is intended to curb errors, duplication, and fraudulent entries that have complicated the registration process.
Providing an update on the registration status, the Minister revealed that a total of 163,997 candidates have been cleared, confirmed, and submitted to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for upload onto the Batch Registration System.
However, he disclosed that 55,174 candidates were flagged as “unmatched” due to duplication and incomplete data entries. These discrepancies, he noted, must be resolved before final approval and upload.
Despite the challenges, the Minister assured the public that the Government of Sierra Leone remains committed to supporting students. He announced that examination fees for all 55,174 unmatched candidates will be paid by the Government, provided that their records are properly verified and cleared within the stipulated timeframe.
He underscored that the Government’s intervention is aimed at ensuring that no eligible candidate is left behind, while also safeguarding the prudent use of public funds.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the clarity on the matter but acknowledge the urgency facing school authorities as the February 28 deadline approaches. The Ministry has reiterated its call for immediate action, warning that failure to comply could result in affected candidates being unable to sit their examinations this year.
With thousands of students depending on the outcome, attention now turns to school administrations to finalize corrections and ensure all qualified candidates are duly registered before the portal closes.
