West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the 2025 National Primary School Examination (NPSE) results, showing a national pass rate of 78.2%. The data reflects continued progress in Sierra Leone’s foundational education system, with improvements in both participation and performance.
A total of 171,112 pupils were entered for the exam, including 88,494 girls and 82,618 boys, an increase of more than 6,000 candidates compared to the previous year. Despite the rise in entries, 5,771 pupils failed to sit the exam, a development the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) is currently investigating.
Among the 165,341 pupils who sat at least one paper, 128,766 scored above the national cutoff mark of 230. Of those, 66,371 were girls and 62,395 were boys. Boys had a slightly higher pass rate of 78.5%, while girls followed closely at 77.9%. However, more girls sat and passed the exam, continuing the trend of increasing female participation and achievement in the education sector.
Top performer for the 2025 NPSE is Mansaray Kadijah Yawa Joe from Dele Nursery & Preparatory School in Wellington, who scored 346, the highest nationwide. Her result has drawn praise from Education Minister Conrad Sackey, who described her success as an inspiration for pupils across the country.
Results were presented to the Ministry on July 17, nearly a month earlier than in 2024 when they were released on August 12. Education officials say the early release is intended to support faster school placements and give administrators more time to prepare for the next academic year.
International College of Makeni Primary School ranked highest among institutions, achieving a 100% pass rate and an average aggregate score of 332.39. Several other schools also posted outstanding results, including Romans International Academy, Modern Academy School of Excellence, Therenisa Memorial Primary School in Bo, and Shalom Ville Schools.
A total of 4,483 pupils scored 300 marks or higher, with girls once again leading the group, 2,424 girls compared to 2,059 boys. This builds on a pattern seen in recent years where girls continue to dominate the highest performance brackets in national exams.
Minister Sackey attributed the overall improvements to sustained investments in early grade learning, teacher training, and classroom resources under the government’s free quality education program. He emphasized that inclusive and equitable access to learning remains a key priority for the Ministry.
