Education Minister expressed confidence NGSA students will perform well

– candidates breathe sigh of relief after day 1; Maths & Social Studies on today

A total of 15,938 pupils across Guyana are writing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) over two days and after the first day, the candidates have expressed confidence after completing the English and Science papers.
In Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), several pupils described the examinations as manageable, with some admitting that initial anxiety quickly gave way to relief once they began writing. “The exam was lovely… I feel like I passed,” one student said, while another noted, “I have confidence in myself… it was amazing.”
Others shared similar sentiments, particularly regarding the Science paper, which many initially feared would be difficult. “Science was actually pretty good… it was easy,” one candidate explained, while another added that although “some questions were challenging,” the overall paper was not difficult.

Several students credited their performance to months of preparation, including extra lessons, online classes, and support from parents and teachers. “I had many nights doing homework and extra classes… I would like to thank my parents and my aunt for assisting me,” one pupil said.
For others, the experience was a mix of nerves and relief. “Before the exam started, I thought it was hard… but when I went inside, a lot of weight came off my shoulders,” another student shared.

While most described the exams as “easy” or “mild,” a few acknowledged encountering challenging sections, particularly in science. Despite this, confidence remained high, with many students already setting their sights on top secondary schools such as Queen’s College, The Bishops’ High School, President’s College, and Berbice High School.
However, Education Minister Sonia Parag, who visited the Diamond/Grove Primary School along the East Bank Demerara (EBD), expressed confidence that students will perform well, pointing to a range of interventions implemented by the government in the lead-up to this year’s exams.
She highlighted both short-term and long-term initiatives, including targeted revision programs, the establishment of NGSA “tents” to support students in key subject areas, and expanded access to learning materials such as textbooks and past papers.
According to the minister, these measures were designed to strengthen students’ understanding of specific topics while also improving overall teaching delivery through enhanced teacher training and curriculum reform.
“We have no doubt that our Grade Six students will perform well… given the interventions, the investment, and the resources that have been provided,” she said.
She also pointed to ongoing reforms, including literacy assessments at the Grades Two and Four levels, aimed at improving comprehension and reading skills, with a numeracy assessment expected to be introduced in 2027.
Acknowledging the pressure associated with the examinations, the minister urged parents to support their children while allowing them time to decompress after each paper. “Sometimes when they come out of exams, they don’t want to talk immediately… exhaustion takes over. Give them space and continue to support them,” she advised.
Meanwhile, President Irfaan Ali also extended best wishes to candidates via social media, encouraging them to remain calm and focused while trusting in their preparation.
With Mathematics and Social Studies scheduled for today, Thursday, students will complete the two-day assessment before turning their attention to results, which will determine placement in secondary schools across the country.
For now, many remain hopeful that months of preparation will translate into strong performances.
Statistics from the 2025 assessment showed that English recorded its strongest performance in the past five years, with a pass rate of 69.25%. Social studies also showed notable improvement, with 64.77% of candidates scoring 50 per cent or higher.
Science, which had seen a slight decline last year with a 54% pass rate (down from 55.11% in 2023), rebounded strongly in 2025. This year, 63.7% of students passed the subject, surpassing the 50% benchmark.
Mathematics, traditionally one of the more challenging subjects, also showed encouraging progress. For the first time in the country’s history, more than half of the students—55.51%—passed the exam.
In 2025, some 15,813 students were registered to write the two-day national examinations, and of that number, 15,497 turned up for the assessment. Among those sitting the exams were 115 students with Special Education Needs (SEND), and, notably, 91 students wrote the assessments in Spanish — a historic first, introduced back in 2024.