By: Zacharia Jalloh, Ministry of Information and Civic Education
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education held its weekly press briefing, featuring updates on national examinations, education reforms, drug-control efforts, security interventions, and mental health initiatives. Several government officials provided progress reports, highlighting achievements and ongoing actions to enhance public safety, education quality, and community resilience. The following are the key highlights:
♦Update on 2025 BECE Performance
The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, provided a summary of the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). A total of 130,135 candidates were entered from 1,987 schools. Out of this number, 124,565 candidates sat for at least one subject, with 5,570 absentees recorded across all subjects. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) released results for 129,260 candidates, withholding results for 1,673.
A detailed analysis was completed for 122,037 candidates, 62,971 females and 59,066 males, marking the fifth consecutive year in which female candidates outnumbered their male counterparts. The overall pass rate including English and Mathematics stands at an impressive 94%, representing 114,709 candidates. The top achiever, Mariama Yellie Bangura of Providence International School, scored an aggregate 7, followed by Aminata B. Sesay from St. Joseph Secondary School in Makeni with an aggregate 8.
♦ Introduction of New Secondary School Curriculum
Minister Bah also announced a comprehensive curriculum reform for secondary schools, replacing the traditional three streams, Arts, Science, and Commercial, with five modern streams: Science and Technology; Language and Literature; Social and Cultural Studies; Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship; and Mathematics and Numeracy. The curriculum includes 70 subjects aligned with 21st-century skills. A phased transition begins in 2026, during which students will be examined on 20 subjects from the new curriculum and 17 from the old. Full adoption is set for 2028.
♦ National Drug Task Force Progress on Kush Fight
Executive Director of the National Public Health Agency and head of the National Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse, Brig. Prof. Foday Sahr, outlined progress in the campaign against Kush. Since the Task Force was established, the Kissy Psychiatric Hospital has treated over 6,000 patients, including more than 2,300 drug-related cases, and trained 1,400 health workers. Three rehabilitation centers have been established in Hastings, Gondama, and Daru, with another planned for Bombali. Over 4,000 individuals have been rehabilitated and reintegrated as community ambassadors, while more than 1,000 youths have been trained as peer educators.
In addition, the Ministry of Information led prevention campaigns through media engagements, jingles, and public outreach. Local Government authorities trained over 1,000 community champions and facilitated over 30 community dialogues. On law enforcement, 90 hotspot raids took place in the past week alone, resulting in arrests and seizures. Citizens were encouraged to call 900 to report bodies found in the streets and 117 for drug-related incidents.
♦ Special Security Unit Operational Update
Andrew Jaiah KaiKai, head of the Special Security Unit, confirmed the official establishment of the Unit on 1st November 2025 with a standing force of over 200 personnel, including military, police, and NDLA staff. Between 25th October and 3rd November, the Unit visited over 90 communities across Freetown. During operations, 46 arrests were made (28 men and 18 women), and significant seizures were recorded, including over 3,000 wraps of Kush, 63 wraps of hash, and a large quantity of tramadol. Citizens were encouraged to call toll-free line 117 to report suspected drug activities.
♦ Community Engagement Efforts
Community Engagement Pillar Lead, Alfred Moi Jamiru, highlighted ongoing engagements with traditional leaders and communities nationwide, drawing lessons from Ebola and COVID-19 responses. Awareness campaigns were conducted in Waterloo, Hamilton, Wilberforce, Murray Town, and across provincial districts, led by local councils to strengthen community-based drug prevention efforts.
♦ Mental Health and Addiction Response
Dr. Carol Labor, Senior Adviser and Technical Lead at the National Public Health Agency’s Mental Health Secretariat, noted that the Presidential Task Force on Mental Health was launched in April 2023. Since then, 1,090 individuals have been trained to identify symptoms of mental health and neurological conditions. She emphasized that addiction is a mental health issue and called for a comprehensive societal approach addressing root causes, community interventions, and early treatment access.
