By: Saidu Jalloh
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has officially released the 2025 National Primary School Examination (NPSE) results nearly a month ahead of schedule. The results revealed a national pass rate of 78.2%, reflecting strong academic performance nationwide with girls leading in participation and private schools dominating the top rankings.
Speaking at the official announcement ceremony, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, described the early release as a strategic move aimed at fast-tracking secondary school placements and ensuring a smoother academic transition. He emphasized that the timely publication reflects improvements in data processing and exam management.
A record 171,112 pupils registered for the 2025 NPSE 88,494 girls and 82,618 boys an increase of over 6,000 candidates compared to 2024. Of these, 165,341 pupils sat at least one paper, while 5,771 were absent, a figure the Ministry described as “alarming” and pledged to investigate thoroughly.
According to Minister Sackey, 128,766 candidates met or surpassed the national cutoff score of 230, thereby qualifying for entry into junior secondary school. Boys achieved a slightly higher pass rate of 78.5%, with girls close behind at 77.9%, despite girls constituting the majority of registered candidates.
One of the standout success stories is Mansaray Kadijah Yawa Joe, a female pupil from Dele Nursery & Preparatory School in Wellington, who emerged as the nation’s top scorer with an outstanding T-score of 346.
Private schools once again led in performance. The International College of Makeni Primary School secured a 100% pass rate and recorded the highest average aggregate score of 332.39. Other top-performing schools included Romans International Academy, Modern Academy School of Excellence, Therenisa Memorial Primary School in Bo, and Shalom Ville Schools, all achieving high pass rates and strong average scores.
A significant highlight in this year’s results is the rise in the number of pupils scoring 300 or above. A total of 4,483 candidates 2,424 girls and 2,059 boys reached this benchmark, indicating continued improvements in learning outcomes and exam preparedness.
“This progress demonstrates the power of sustained investment in foundational learning,” said Minister Sackey. He commended teachers, parents, and education stakeholders for their continued contributions to improving the quality of education at the primary level.
Despite these academic gains, the Minister expressed serious concern over the increasing absenteeism rate, which has risen for the second consecutive year. “This is a worrying development,” he said. “We need to understand why thousands of registered candidates are not turning up for exams, and we will act based on the findings.”
He also reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to fighting exam malpractice. “To those attempting to cheat or manipulate the system let me be clear: we are tightening our monitoring and enforcement. You will be caught, and appropriate disciplinary action will follow,” Minister Sackey warned.
The Ministry has already begun distributing physical result packages to schools nationwide, and a comprehensive technical report, detailing district-by-district performance and a gender-disaggregated analysis, will be published on the MBSSE website next week.
In his closing remarks, Minister Sackey congratulated those who passed for their. “To those who didn’t, don’t give up. Every child deserves a second chance, and we are working to ensure a more inclusive and effective learning system for the future,” he added.