WAEC Syllabus for Health Education
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the official syllabus for Health Education. All candidates preparing for the examination are expected to make use of this syllabus as it clearly outlines the scope and focus of the examination. The topics and areas contained in the syllabus represent what candidates are required to study and prepare for ahead of the examination.
Candidates are strongly advised to study the syllabus carefully, as it serves as a guide to what will be examined. To better understand the full scope of the subject and prepare effectively, read through this article to see the complete WAEC Health Education syllabus in detail.
Scheme of Examination
The examination consists of three papers: Paper 1, Paper 2, and Paper 3, all of which must be taken.
Paper 1
This paper consists of fifty multiple-choice objective questions. Candidates are required to answer all questions within 1 hour for 50 marks.
Paper 2
This paper is divided into two sections: Section A and Section B.
- Section A contains six short-structured questions, all of which must be answered for 30 marks.
- Section B contains three essay questions, out of which candidates are required to answer any two questions for 40 marks.
The paper lasts for 1 hour.
Paper 3
This is a practical examination for school candidates and an alternative to practical work for private candidates. It lasts for 1 hour 45 minutes (1¾ hours) and carries 80 marks.
WAEC Health Education Syllabus 2026
| TOPIC | CONTENT |
|---|---|
| A. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION | Meaning of Health Education; Settings for Health Education (home, school, community, health facility, workplace); Meaning of Health Promotion |
| B. HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY | Cells and tissues of the body; Types of cells (somatic, sex cells); Cell division (mitosis, meiosis); Cell differentiation; Growth and development |
| Sense organs: eye, ear, skin, nose, tongue (structure and function) | |
| Skeletal system: axial and appendicular skeleton, functions, joints, movement | |
| Muscular system: types and functions | |
| Circulatory system: heart, blood vessels, lymph system, blood composition, circulation, blood groups, disorders | |
| Digestive system: organs, digestion, absorption, metabolism, diseases | |
| Excretory system: kidney, skin, urine formation | |
| Respiratory system: organs, breathing, gaseous exchange, respiration, diseases | |
| Nervous system: brain, spinal cord, nerves, voluntary and involuntary actions | |
| Endocrine system: glands, hormones, functions | |
| Homeostasis: temperature, blood sugar, water balance, pH regulation | |
| Posture: meaning, correct posture, postural defects (scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, flat foot) | |
| C. PERSONAL HEALTH | Physical health; Personal hygiene; Health promotion and maintenance; Eye, ear, skin defects and care; Dental health education |
| D. COMMUNITY HEALTH | Community health services; School health programme; Family health; Maternal and child health; Ageing and death education; Epidemiology and vital statistics |
| E. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | Housing; Water supply; Waste disposal; Pollution; Occupational health; Pests and vectors control |
| F. NUTRITION AND FOOD NUTRIENTS | Food nutrients and functions; Balanced diet; Nutritional problems; Food choices; Water and nutrition; Nutritional processes; Beverages; Diet for different groups; Food hygiene, preservation, storage |
| G. SAFETY EDUCATION AND FIRST AID | First aid meaning and principles; First aid kit; Emergency conditions; Disaster management; Accidents; Disability and rehabilitation |
| H. DRUG, ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO EDUCATION | Drug education; Drug abuse; Methods of drug intake; Effects of drugs; Tobacco and alcohol effects; Behaviour-altering substances |
| I. COMMUNICABLE AND NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES | Communicable diseases: air-borne, water/food-borne, insect-borne, worm, animal and contact diseases; disease transmission factors |
| Non-communicable diseases: deficiency diseases, genetic diseases, lifestyle diseases (diabetes, cancer, hypertension, asthma, etc.) | |
| J. FAMILY LIFE AND HUMAN SEXUALITY EDUCATION | Human reproduction; Sexuality education; Reproductive organs; Menstrual cycle; Fertilization and pregnancy; Fertility and infertility; Sexual health concepts |
Materials Needed in Health Education Laboratory/Examination
- Bones of the body
- Contraceptive devices
- Dissecting set
- Different types of safety elements
- Fire extinguisher
- First aid box and kits
- Hand lens
- Human skeleton
- Materials for personal hygiene e.g. toothpaste, comb, toothbrush
- Microscope
- Model/poster showing parts of the body
- Models of various organs of the body
- Models of various parts of the body e.g., tooth
- Photographs of accident scenes
- Photographs of drugs commonly misused/abused
- Photographs of health facilities and workers, e.g. doctors, nurses, dentists at work
- Photographs of methods of sewage and refuse disposal
- Photographs of postural abnormalities
- Photographs of various types of communicable and non-communicable diseases
- Photographs of correct postures
- Photographs/posters showing disaster scenes
- Photographs/posters showing methods of food preservation
- Posters/charts of systems of the body e.g. reproductive, digestive, excretory
- Preserved pests and vectors
- Preserved worms
- Reagents for testing starch, protein, and fat
- Real objects/photographs/poster/charts of classes of food
- Road safety signs
- Sand bucket
- Safety materials
- Snellen chart
- Sphygmomanometer (poster/real object)
- Stethoscope
- Thermometer
- Tobacco products
Now that you have the full syllabus, make sure you actually use it while studying. Don’t just read through it and move on. Use it as your guide to plan your revision and focus on the topics that matter most. It is also very important to practise with past questions. This will help you understand how questions are set, improve your speed, and boost your confidence before the examination.
If you found this helpful, share it with other candidates who are also preparing for the exam so they can benefit too.
