The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has published the provisional international timetable for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with the examination scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. The timetable was issued by WAEC through its official X handle, @waecnigeria.

The examination will open with practical and project work across several subjects, including Basketry, Ceramics, Jewellery, Leatherwork, Picture Making, Sculpture, Textiles, Graphic Design, Art and Design Studio, Applied Technology II (Building Construction and Wood Technology), and Applied Technology I (Automotive and Metal Technology), running from Tuesday, April 7, 2026 to Monday, April 27, 2026.

For candidates sitting core subjects, Further Mathematics Paper 2 (Essay) and Paper 1 (Objective) are scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2026. General Mathematics Paper 2 (Essay) and Paper 1 (Objective) will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The English Language Essay and Objective papers are fixed for Wednesday, June 10, 2026, on the same date as the Chemistry Essay and Objective papers. Economics Essay and Objective papers will be taken on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, and the Accounting Essay and Objective papers are scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2026.

Candidates in Nigeria will also sit papers in Nigerian History, Civic Education, Nigerian Language subjects, including Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, as well as Agricultural Science, among other Nigeria specific papers listed in the timetable.

For a comprehensive breakdown of all examination dates, see the Approved WAEC May/June Timetable 2026/2027 for School Candidates.

The timetable further notes that Friday, May 1, 2026, which falls on Workers' Day, is a public holiday and no examinations will be held. Similarly, Tuesday, May 26 through Thursday, May 28, 2026 have been designated public holidays for Eid al Adha, and Wednesday, May 27, 2026 also marks Children's Day.

WAEC noted that where the duration indicated on a question paper differs from that on the timetable, candidates should follow the duration stated on the question paper. The council also confirmed that blind, deaf, and dumb candidates will be allowed one and a half times the standard time allotted to other candidates.

Candidates can download the 2026 WASSCE Timetable (PDF) here.