2025 NPSE Results Released; Rise in Absenteeism Triggers Official Investigation

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially delivered the 2025 National Primary School Examination (NPSE) results to the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), nearly a month earlier than anticipated. Announced on July 17, these results represent a significant milestone for primary education in Sierra Leone, featuring a record number of registered candidates and remarkable achievements by female students.

Key highlights of this year’s results include:

• A total of 171,112 pupils registered for the exam, reflecting an increase of over 6,000 candidates from 2024.

• Girls constituted the majority of registered candidates, with 88,494 girls compared to 82,618 boys.

• 128,766 pupils achieved the national cutoff score of 230 or higher, resulting in an overall pass rate of 78.2%.

• Boys demonstrated a slightly higher pass rate (78.5%) compared to girls (77.9%), but girls excelled in total passes due to their higher participation.

• Mansaray Kadijah Yawa Joe, a female student from Dele Nursery & Preparatory School, attained the highest T-score of 346.

• International College of Makeni Primary School achieved a 100% pass rate and the highest average aggregate score of 332.39. Other top-performing schools included Romans International Academy and Modern Academy School of Excellence.

• Girls dominated the top five candidate positions, with a total of 4,483 pupils (2,424 girls and 2,059 boys) scoring 300 or above, marking a significant improvement from the previous year.

• A troubling increase in absent candidates was noted, with 5,771 pupils failing to sit for at least one paper, prompting an official investigation.

These results highlight the positive impact of ongoing investments in foundational learning across Sierra Leone, particularly emphasizing the growing success and participation of girls in the national examination.