While the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) 2025 results show steady national improvement in the quality of passes, the North West Region continues to lag behind the national average despite signs of gradual progress.
According to the Botswana Examinations Council, a total of 35,366 candidates sat for the 2025 examinations, representing a 4.2% decline from 36,917 candidates in 2024, with females accounting for 59.18% of the cohort and males 40.82%. National performance indicators show that 95.65% of grades were Grade G or better, 78.68% were Grade E or better, 37.07% were Grade C or better and 3.01% were Grade A or better, reflecting a continued shift toward stronger pass quality across the country.
The most notable improvement was recorded at credit level, with the proportion of grades at C or better rising from 33.39% in 2024 to 37.07% in 2025, a 3.68 percentage-point increase that signals more learners meeting minimum tertiary entry requirements. Aggregate performance across candidates’ six best subjects further confirmed the positive trend, with 28.94% achieving 36 points or more, 54.28% achieving at least 30 points and 71.58% reaching 24 points or higher, indicating that more students are qualifying for university, college and vocational pathways. Among government institutions, Naledi Senior Secondary School recorded the highest proportion of candidates scoring 36 points and above at 49.20%.
Additionally Naledi SSS was the standout school nationally, producing 4 of the 11 outstanding candidates who achieved 6+ A*s. Ledumang SSS and Mogoditshane SSS also each contributed top candidates.
Against this improving national backdrop, detailed school-level results show the North West Region still battling to keep pace.
At Maun Senior Secondary School, 940 candidates sat the 2025 examinations, a slight increase from 922 in 2024. The school recorded a Grade C or better rate of 30.31%, a modest rise from 29.23%, while the proportion achieving Grade E or better improved to 74.69% from 72.10%. The share of candidates attaining 36 aggregate points or more rose to 24%, up from 21% in 2024, yet overall performance remains consistently below the national average for government schools.
Meanwhile, Shakawe Senior Secondary School enrolled 749 candidates in 2025 and recorded a Grade C or better rate of 31.25%, up from 29.34% in 2024. The school posted a notable rise in Grade E or better performance to 78.90% from 74.28%, although the proportion of candidates achieving 36 aggregate points dipped slightly to 20.4% from 21%. The results place the school broadly in the mid-range among government institutions nationally.
While the incremental gains at Maun and Shakawe suggest that targeted interventions may be beginning to yield results, both schools remain below the national average of 37.07% for Grade C or better, underscoring the persistent performance gap between remote regions and the rest of the country. The report also recorded a decline in exceptional high achievers nationwide, with only 11 candidates attaining at least six A* grades in 2025 compared with 22 in 2024, indicating that while more learners are achieving credit-level passes, fewer are reaching the very top performance band.
Overall, the results present a dual narrative of progress and inequality, as Botswana continues to strengthen pass quality and tertiary readiness while regional disparities — particularly in the North West — remain a key challenge requiring sustained and targeted support.
