The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) has yesterday announced the release of the 2023 Gambia Basic Education Certificate Examination (GABECE) Grade 9 results with 41 students scoring Aggregate 6, most of them girls.

MoBSE further reported that the total number of candidates who registered for this year’s Gabece is 28,255 with 27,402 candidates sitting for at least one subject which comprises 59% females and 41% males.

According to MoBSE, this shows a remarkable increase of 10 students with an aggregate of 6 this year compared to 2022 which was 31 students. Out of the 41 students with an aggregate of 6 in this year’s exams, 23 are girls and 18 are boys. This number constituted 21 (51%) from the public schools and 20 (49%) from the private schools.

“In another development, this year’s Gabece has seen significant improvement in the trend of candidates with an aggregate of 42 or less by region over the last three years. Nationally, the number has increased from 13,424 in 2022 to 13,626 in 2023. Regionally, the number has increased in regions 2 & 3 whilst it  dropped in the other Regions, particularly in Region 5 North and South,” MoBSE said.

It said although the number of passes in the four core subjects has increased in English, Math, and Science, there is a drop in Social and Environmental Studies (SES) comparing 2022 to 2023.

The overall proportion of candidates with an aggregate of 42 or less across the nation is stagnated at 49.7%, comparing the years 2022 and 2023. However, the number of candidates with

aggregate 42 or less has consistently increased for girls from 2021 to 2023 as they continued to outshine boys over the last three years.

In conclusion, the 2023 Gabece results offer a nuanced perspective on academic achievement, showcasing both the strengths and challenges of students. Furthermore, the remarkable performance of girls in the past three years has revealed the need for continued efforts in promoting gender equity and gender equality in education.

“MoBSE remains committed to nurturing the talents of our students and improving accessible, equitable, and all-inclusive quality education for all. We urge students, educators, and all stakeholders in the education system to continue to work hard for the attainment of quality education,” the ministry said in its statement.