Minister Conrad Sackey Highlights SL’s Education Milestones at BECE 2024 Results Presentation

By Abdul Rahman Bah

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, the Miatta Conference Hall at the Youyi Building in Freetown hosted a significant address by the Minister of Basic and Senior Education, Conrad Sackey, who provided a detailed update on the progress made within Sierra Leone’s educational sector, particularly regarding the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results for 2024. The event underscored the remarkable strides made, ongoing challenges, and the strategic measures being put in place to further improve the country’s education system.

In his speech, Minister Sackey outlined the structure of Sierra Leone’s educational framework, which includes pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary education (JSS). He emphasized that completing junior secondary school marks the culmination of basic education for students. From this point onward, students transition into secondary education, which focuses on more specialized subjects and prepares them for further academic and career development.

Minister Sackey also reiterated the constitutional mandate for free basic education, which guarantees that every child in Sierra Leone completes junior secondary education before progressing to higher levels of schooling. This policy remains fundamental in ensuring equal access to education for all children, regardless of their socio-economic background.

2024 BECE Results: A Step Forward in Education Quality

Turning to the 2024 BECE results, Minister Sackey proudly announced that a total of 126,703 students from 1,835 schools participated in the examination. While this marks a slight decrease in the number of candidates from previous years, the decline was attributed to the new policy that limits exam repetition. Despite the drop in candidate numbers, the results have shown a remarkable improvement in student performance, with an impressive 90.5% pass rate. This achievement makes the 2024 BECE results the second best in the country’s history, only surpassed by the 2023 results.

The increase in the pass rate represents a 21% improvement compared to previous years, a clear indication that reforms in the education sector are beginning to bear fruit. Minister Sackey attributed this positive change to the significant investments and policy interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of education across the country.

Minister Sackey highlighted the exceptional performance in specific subjects, underscoring the importance of these areas in shaping the country’s future. Physics and Physical/Health Education achieved an outstanding 98.8% pass rate, Language Arts (English) reached an impressive 95.9%, and Mathematics garnered a commendable 87.9% pass rate. These results reflect improvements in teaching quality and student engagement in these critical subjects.

In addition to the subject-specific successes, the minister also acknowledged the outstanding achievements of individual schools. Providence International School, for example, attained a perfect 100% pass rate, complemented by high average scores. Similarly, Christ Reformed Church Junior Secondary School demonstrated exemplary results, reinforcing their status as top-performing institutions. These schools were celebrated as models of educational excellence, setting a high standard for others to follow.

In a remarkable leap, 835 schools achieved a pass rate of 95% or higher in 2024, compared to just 322 schools in 2022. This progress highlights the ministry’s ongoing efforts to improve the educational standards across Sierra Leone. However, the minister acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly in bridging the educational quality gap between urban and rural schools. To address these disparities, the ministry has been working on initiatives to ensure equal access to quality education for students regardless of where they live.

The ministry has also focused on increasing participation among younger candidates, with nearly 59,000 students sitting for the BECE in 2024—an indication of the growing enrollment in early education. To support students who are struggling, the introduction of “catch-up classes” is underway. These programs aim to assist underperforming students and help bridge learning gaps, ensuring that no child is left behind.

Minister Sackey stressed the importance of accountability within schools. He called on educators to improve their performance monitoring systems and adopt more effective teaching methodologies. The minister also highlighted that school principals and administrators are undergoing continuous training to improve school management and ensure that student progress is accurately tracked and addressed in a timely manner.

In his closing remarks, Minister Sackey reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to sustaining the progress made so far, while also addressing the challenges that lie ahead. The government is focused on bridging the performance gap between high-performing and struggling schools, ensuring that all students have access to quality education.

The key goals for the future include:

• Inclusivity: Ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has access to high-quality education.
• Excellence: Building on the successes of 2023 and 2024 to maintain high pass rates and continuously improve overall student achievement.

Minister Sackey’s address was a powerful reminder of the ongoing commitment to transforming Sierra Leone’s education system and preparing the next generation for success.