Freetown – The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) is set to publish over 1,100 National Primary School Examination (NPSE) results that were temporarily withheld after 61 schools failed to submit Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS/CAS) for their candidates.
Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education Conrad Sackey told AYV News that the Ministry, working with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), will release these results soon.
An official from the Ministry confirmed that following the main results announcement last week, more than 40 of the affected schools have now submitted the required scores. The forthcoming batch covers candidates in this category.
WAEC’s Acting Public Affairs Officer Salieu Kamara told Truth Media that the Council expects the remaining schools to submit their CASS. However, some results will remain withheld due to schools’ failure to properly register and upload candidates’ details, as well as cases of examination irregularities.
The main 2026 NPSE results were released on 11 August 2026. Approximately 164,714 candidates from 5,228 primary schools nationwide were processed in the initial release, with about 160,161 sitting at least one subject. The national pass rate stood at 78.2 per cent (125,498 candidates scoring at or above the cut-off of 230), a slight improvement on the previous year.
WAEC initially set aside the results of 1,927 candidates. Roughly 86 per cent of these were linked to schools that had not submitted Continuous Assessment Scores, which contribute 10 per cent to a pupil’s final grade. The remainder involved suspected malpractice and other administrative issues. The Ministry had issued deadlines and extensions for defaulting schools, warning of disciplinary action and possible late-entry charges by WAEC.
CASS forms a mandatory part of the overall assessment. Failure by school authorities to submit these scores risks disadvantaging pupils who have completed their examinations, potentially affecting their transition to junior secondary school.
Advocacy groups, including the Kids Advocacy Network, have raised concerns about the impact of withheld results on children, describing it as potentially traumatising and a possible violation of the Child Rights Act. The organisation has indicated it may seek dialogue with the Ministry and WAEC, with the option of approaching the ECOWAS Court of Justice if issues remain unresolved.
Parents and guardians of affected candidates are advised to monitor official announcements from MBSSE and WAEC. Results can be checked via the WAEC Sierra Leone online portal or by SMS (text RESULT to 468) once released. Schools are not permitted to charge parents for results or report cards; complaints can be directed to the Ministry’s toll-free line 8060.
The Ministry continues to urge remaining schools to comply promptly so that more candidates can receive their results without further delay. A detailed technical report on the 2026 NPSE, including district-level analysis, is expected in the early part of the 2026/2027 academic year.
