By Olimatou Coker
Announcing the Gambia Basic Education Certificate Examinations GABECE (Grade 9) results yesterday, Dr Habibatou Drammeh, the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education revealed that once again female students lead in terms of strong performance with 42 out of the 60 top scorers – nearly 70%, being girls. The remaining 18 top scorers, the minister said, are boys, accounting for 30% of this distinguished group”.
She further announced that approximately, 18,916 girls wrote the exam, representing over 60 %, a slight increase from 59.4% in 2024, while male candidates comprised about 40%, numbering roughly 12,818 candidates.
She said each of the 60 students that achieved the highest possible aggregate, scored aggregate 6, underscoring continued academic excellence among Upper Basic students in The Gambia.
“These results demonstrate not only higher female participation overall but also a significant level of girls excellence at the very top of the examination performance spectrum, signaling encouraging progress toward gender parity in educational outcomes,” she said.
Top performing schools
She said Mansa Colley Bojang Upper Basic School in Brikama Jalangbang led with the largest number of top scorers, contributing 13 students (4 boys and 9 girls. Other schools with significant numbers of aggregate 6 achievers include Gambia Methodist Academy with 6 students, St Peter’s Upper Basic School with 5, and Anne Marie Rivier School with 4.
Several other schools had multiple top scorers: Logos Academy, Charles Jow Memorial Academy, Anne Marie Javouhey, and Yalding Upper Basic School each had 3 students with aggregate 6, while schools with two top scorers included St.Francis Upper Basic School, Redeemer’s International Upper Basic School, Brikama Upper Basic School, Nema Kunku Radville Upper Basic School, Abba Bilingual Upper Basic School, and Latrikunda Sabiji Upper Basic School.
Additionally, the following schools produced 1 top scorer; Kunkujang Keitaya Upper Basic School, St. Therese’s Upper Basic School, Gunjur Upper Basic School, Presentation of Mary Basic Cycle School, The Strand Basic Cycle School, Bright Star Basic Cycle School, New Life Upper Basic School and Brimawa Upper Basic School.
