11-Year-Old Davis Bethany Breaks Record as Best Candidate for 2026 NPSE in Sierra Leone

An 11-year-old girl has secured the highest score in the country following the official release of the 2026 National Primary School Examination (NPSE) results by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE).

Davis Bethany of Tower Hill Kindergarten and Primary School achieved a record-breaking aggregate T-score of 351, surpassing the highest score of 346 recorded in 2025.

The overall pass rate for the 2026 examinations stands at 78.2%, a slight improvement from last year’s 78%. A total of 125,498 candidates successfully met or exceeded the Ministry’s stipulated cut-off score of 230.

According to preliminary data released by the Ministry, 164,714 candidates from 5,228 primary schools were factored into the initial analysis. Females made up 52% (83,780) of the candidates, compared to 48% (78,934) for males.

While male candidates recorded a marginally higher pass rate (78.7% compared to 78% for females), girls dominated both the total number of passing students and the upper echelons of academic performance. Females notably secured the majority of the top five national positions and accounted for 2,804 of the 5,123 candidates who scored 300 and above.

Dan Haringey Memorial School at Timber Town emerged as the top-performing school nationally among institutions with ten or more candidates, boasting a 100% pass rate and an average aggregate score of 327.70.

Despite the celebratory high scores, the Ministry noted several irregularities that are currently under investigation. Over 4,500 candidates registered for the exams but were absent for all subjects, a trend the Ministry warned leads to a “waste of resources.” School heads with high absentee rates are slated for investigation.

Additionally, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has withheld the results of 1,927 candidates due to suspected exam malpractice and the failure of some schools to submit Continuous Assessment Scores (CAS). The Ministry has issued a strict deadline, giving defaulting school administrators until Thursday to submit the missing CAS or face disciplinary action.

A comprehensive technical report detailing district-level performances will be published by the first week of the 2026-2027 academic year. Results packages are expected to reach schools nationwide by early next week.