Seven girls have emerged among the top best ten candidates in this year’s National Primary School Examination (N.P.S.E). The examination was conducted under strict compliance with Coronavirus preventives measures.
Gisele Akibo-Betts from the International School emerged as the best candidates with a score of 367, while Aminata E. Collier of Providence International Elementary School is the next best person with a close score of 366. Three candidates tie among the third, fourth and fifth best candidates with scores of 365 each, respectively, which brings up the number of the top ten candidates to twelve which was dominated by females.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), Dr. David Senge, announced the result on Friday September 18, 2020, via a nationwide radio broadcast.
According to the Minister, 146,649 pupils from 3,996 schools took the exam – 73,824 girls and 72,825 boys – including the Sierra Leonean pupils in Guinea, the largest number of pupils in history to have sat the exam. He added that the exam was held in 262 examination centre across the country.
“Even though the exams were held in the midst of COVID-19, with uncertainty, loss of learning pride and emotional challenges yet still pupils were able to pull through in the midst of the challenges. I am extremely proud,” Dr. Senge said, and added that extra efforts were made to ensure exam scripts were marked and results were computed within 43 days.
By George M.O. Williams
21/09/2020. ISSUE NO: 7923