The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Habibatou Drammeh, has defended the performance of Gambian students in the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing the results as evidence of progress and the impact of ongoing reforms.
Speaking at a press conference following the release of the results, Dr. Drammeh emphasized that the Ministry’s sustained efforts to improve teaching quality and student outcomes are beginning to yield positive change. She rejected claims that private schools are inherently superior to public schools, stressing that both operate under the same national curriculum and that differences in teacher capacity are minimal.
“The overall ranking of top-performing schools shows that 16 of the top 25 are public schools,” Dr. Drammeh noted. “This demonstrates that strong academic performance is not determined by whether a school is public or private, but by factors such as teaching, leadership, student commitment, parental support, and the learning environment.”
While acknowledging that challenges remain particularly the number of students recording few or no passes the Minister maintained that reforms are laying the foundation for stronger outcomes in future examinations. She pointed to core subjects such as English Language and Mathematics as areas where sustained improvement will be critical.
Education analysts say the results highlight both progress and persistent gaps in the system. The Ministry’s challenge, is to ensure now that reforms translate into long-term gains across all schools, and that improvements in literacy and numeracy are sustained.
