Rising students excel in primary school exams

All sixty-two of the Rising students who sat this year’s National Primary School Examination (NPSE) in Sierra Leone have passed. This 100% pass rate compares to a national average of 77.6%.

The students’ achievement is all the more remarkable given that they were kept out of school for 6 months last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not only did they pass, but many achieved outstanding aggregate scores. 57 students (94% of the total) achieved an aggregate score of 289 and above, compared to 10% of students nationally. 10 students (16% of the total) achieved aggregate scores of 313 and above, compared to 1% nationally.

The students, from all four of our primary schools in Sierra Leone, are the first Rising students to sit these exams since we began offering the primary grades. They will now be able to progress to the Junior Secondary phase and with scores like these should have their pick of schools - though naturally we hope they’ll all stay with Rising!

In its official report announcing the results, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education also paid tribute to partners (like Rising) who had contributed to radio teaching programmes locally and nationally during and after the pandemic-induced school closures, noting that "without their effort overall performance may not have been as good."

Congratulations to the students, their teachers and school leaders, as well as to our head office team, for this accomplishment. We’re so proud of them and delighted that all their hard work in such difficult circumstances has paid off.