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The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has announced the top five candidates for the 2026 National Primary School Examination (NPSE), with an 11-year-old female candidate claiming the highest aggregate T-score of 351.
Bethany Davis of Tower Hill Kindergarten and Primary School in Freetown emerged as the overall best-performing candidate, surpassing the 2025 top score of 346. Her achievement places her at the forefront of the 164,714 candidates whose results were released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to the Ministry.
The top five performing candidates in the 2026 NPSE are:
| Rank | Candidate | School | Aggregate T-Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bethany Davis | Tower Hill Kindergarten & Primary School | 351 |
| 2 | Franklin Selu Jarlo | Nearcome Nursery & Primary School, Bauma Godrich | 349 |
| 3 | Herolda Samuels | International School Limited | 348 |
| 4 | Bethany Chanel Anderson | Romans International Academy | 347 |
| 5 | Carbeau-Lamin Othelle | Moradin Preparatory School | 346 |
A notable feature of the 2026 results is the strong representation of female candidates among the top performers. Four of the top five candidates are female, reflecting continued progress in girls’ academic achievement at the primary level.
The dominance of female candidates in the top tier aligns with broader participation trends, as more girls sat the examination overall. A total of 83,780 female candidates (52 percent) took the exam, compared to 78,934 male candidates (48 percent).
The overall pass rate for the 2026 NPSE stands at 78.2 percent, with 125,498 candidates scoring at or above the cut-off mark of 230. The male pass rate was 78.7 percent, slightly higher than the female pass rate of 78 percent, though officials have noted that more females passed the exam in absolute numbers.
A total of 5,123 candidates achieved aggregate T-scores of 300 and above, an increase from 2025 figures.
The results packages are being prepared for distribution to schools by the start of next week, while a detailed technical report is expected to be available on the Ministry’s website by the first week of the 2026-2027 school year.
