Literature Syllabus For 2026-2030 WASSCE
The West African Examination Council has released a new syllabus for Literature-in-English which covers 2026-2030. By implication, the new syllabus will be effective from September 2023 for the SS1 students across the countries where their exams are written.
The syllabus will be used in setting questions in 2026 when the students will be writing the Senior School Certificate Examination.
The National Examination Council (NECO) in Nigeria is also making use of this syllabus for Nigerian students. The Syllabus is therefore referred to as Harmonized Literature-in-English Syllabus.
The current syllabus 2021-2025 will seize to be used by the examining bodies in setting questions by 2025.
Harmonized List of Literature-in-English Texts for The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) 2026-2030
Shakespearean Text
Antony and Cleopatra
African Prose
1. Pede Hollist: So the Path Does not Die
2. Elma Shaw: Redemption Road
Non-African Prose
1. Harper Lee: To Kill a Mocking Bird
2. Susanne Bellefeuille: Path to Lucas: The Journey He Endured
African Drama
1. Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan: Once Upon an Elephant
2. Efua Sutherland: The Marriage of Anansewa
Non-African Drama
1. J.D Priestly: An Inspector Calls
2. Robert Bolt: A Man for all Seasons
African Poetry
1. Gabriel Okara: Once Upon a Time
2. Elizabeth L.A Kamara: New Tongue
3. Wole Soyinka: Night
4. Niyi Osundare: Not my Business
5. S.O.H Afriyie-Vidza: Hearty Garlands
6. Syl Cheney-Coker: The Breast of the Sea
Non-African Poetry
1. Lord Bryon: She Walks in Beauty
2. Geoffrey Chaucer: The Nun’s Priest’s Tale (shortened)
3. Seamus Heaney: Digging
4. Maya Angelou: Still I Rise
5. Fleur Adcock: The Telephone Call
6. Wilfred Wilson Gipson: The Stone
Analysis of the Syllabus
Literature-in-English has three papers (1,2,3)
Paper 1: This contains multiple choice objective questions that are divided into twenty questions on General Knowledge of Literature, Five questions each on unseen prose and unseen poem.
It also contains twenty questions on the prescribed Shakespearean Text (Antony and Cleopatra)
Paper 2: The questions here are set on African and Non-African Prose. It is divided into Sections A and Section B. Section A is on African Prose while Section B is on Non-African Prose.
Two essay questions are set on the prescribed texts and the candidates are expected to answer one question only from each section. The duration is 1hour 15 minutes (50marks).
Paper 3: This is on Drama and Poetry. It is divided into Section A- African Drama, Section B- Non-African Drama, Section C- African Poetry and Section D- Non-African Poetry.
It contains twelve questions altogether and the candidates are required to answer four questions; one from each section. The duration is 2 hours and thirty minutes. (100 marks)
Note: All these recommended texts and poetry shall be discussed and appreciated respectively explicitly on this platform. Likewise, all the recommended texts and poetry are already discussed comprehensively on this platform.