The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially released the results of the 2025 National Primary School Examination (NPSE) to the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, well ahead of schedule.
This year’s release on 17th July comes nearly a month earlier than last year’s date of 12th August, allowing us to fast-track school placements and planning.
A total of 171,112 pupils entered for the exam, 88,494 girls and 82,618 boys. This is over 6,000 more than last year’s entry. Of the total, 165,341 pupils sat at least one paper, and it’s worth noting that 5,771 candidates were absent a number higher than last year’s, and one we are investigating seriously.
128,766 candidates (66,371 girls and 62,395 boys) met or exceeded the official cutoff score of 230, representing an overall pass rate of 78.2%. While males had a slightly higher pass rate (78.5% compared to 77.9% for girls), more girls both sat and passed the exam overall.
The highest score an impressive 346 T-score was achieved by Mansaray Kadijah Yawa Joe, a female student from Dele Nursery & Preparatory School in Wellington. I offer her my heartfelt congratulations.
Congratulations to International College of Makeni Primary School, which topped the charts with a 100% pass rate and the highest average aggregate score (332.39). Other excellent performers include Romans International Academy, Modern Academy School of Excellence, Therenisa Memorial Primary School in Bo, and Shalom Ville Schools.
More girls than boys were in the top five candidates, and 4,483 pupils (2,424 girls and 2,059 boys) scored 300 or above — another increase from last year. This progress shows us the power of sustained investment in foundational learning.