Guyana’s 2026 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results represent the strongest performance ever recorded in the country’s history, the Ministry of Education asserted yesterday, adding that the cohort has also exceeded the regional benchmark for similar assessments.
Education Minister Sonia Parag, while announcing the results at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, described the performance of the 15,706 students who wrote the examination as “record-breaking history”.
“These are the best and strongest National Grade Six Assessment results not over the past five years, but this is the best result that has ever been recorded in our country’s history that you are experiencing here today,” Parag said.
She added: “The scores … released today are standardized scores, not raw marks. And it is very important that they should not be compared with the standardized scores from previous years because they are calculated using the performance of the candidates who wrote the examination this year. Since each year’s examination and each year’s cohort are different, the standardized scores will also differ. Their purpose is to provide a fair comparison of candidates within the same year, ensuring that every child is assessed equitably”.
Parag said the ministry sought to compare Guyana’s performance with other Caribbean territories after receiving the results from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), and the findings showed that the country had outperformed its regional counterparts.
“Yesterday when we received the results from CXC, we asked to compare our performance with that of other territories across the region with similar type of assessments, and I am proud to say that Guyana’s results have exceeded the regional benchmark,” the minister stated.
Parag credited the achievement to years of investment in the education system, saying the results were “not by accident or by chance” but were the outcome of deliberate policies and collective efforts.
“Today’s achievement did not happen by accident or by chance. It is a product of years of sustained investment in education,” she said.
She highlighted initiatives including literacy and numeracy camps, expanded access to textbooks, school construction and upgrades, teacher training, mock examinations used to identify learning gaps, and the government’s “Because We Care” cash grant.
“One of my earliest priorities was to sharpen our national focus on literacy and numeracy,” Parag said, describing the areas as “the building blocks upon which all learning depends.”
“Literacy in particular is the gateway to success in every subject. A child who struggles to read will struggle to understand instructions, they will struggle to interpret questions, they will struggle to solve problems, and they will struggle to fully demonstrate what he or she knows,” she added.
The minister said the results demonstrated the importance of continued investment in education.
“They demonstrate that when we invest consistently in our children, we see meaningful improvements in learning outcomes,” she said.
According to Parag, the highest standardized scores recorded this year were 122.917 in Mathematics, 120.031 in English, 121.653 in Social Studies and 119.919 in Science. The highest overall standardized score achieved was 484.52.
The minister also announced that the Guyana Digital School, launched in December 2025, will provide students nationwide with free online access to the full primary and secondary curriculum from Grades One to Eleven beginning in September.
While celebrating the country’s top performers, Parag urged parents not to judge students solely by their examination results or school placements.
“Success is not reserved for one school or another. It belongs to those who remain committed to education, who persevere through hardships, and who continue to believe in themselves,” she said.
She reminded students that the NGSA was only one step in their educational journey.
“The NGSA is an important milestone but it definitely does not define who you are, nor does it determine the limits of what you can achieve. Your future will be shaped by your character, your discipline, your willingness to learn, and the effort you continue to invest in yourselves,” Parag said.
Remedial.doc
Remedial work to be done on highway between Ogle and UG road – ministry
The Ministry of Public Works has announced that remedial works will begin on Monday on a section of the southern carriageway of the Rupert Craig Highway that has deteriorated due to age and heavy traffic.
In a statement, the ministry said the works will be carried out on the stretch between Ogle and the University of Guyana Road at Cummings Lodge, where the road surface has experienced structural deterioration.
According to the ministry, the deterioration is the result of the roadway’s age, sustained daily traffic and normal wear and tear. It noted that the asphalt surface is more than 20 years old and that similar deterioration had previously been addressed on the northern carriageway between Sparendaam and Liliendaal.
The ministry said repairs will be undertaken outside of peak traffic hours in an effort to minimise disruption to commuters.
It added that traffic management measures will be in place throughout the project to facilitate the movement of vehicles and ensure the safety of motorists, pedestrians and construction workers.
The ministry urged road users to exercise caution while travelling through the work zone, reduce their speed and comply with all traffic signs and directions during the period of repairs.
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