On Monday, nearly 3 000 children received their results from the 2025 Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE), marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in their educational journey. For these young learners, the long-anticipated 11-Plus results bring a mix of emotions, including relief, excitement, anxiety, and hope. To each one of those who did the exam, we say, ‘Congratulations’. Regardless of which institution you will begin your secondary school life, your effort, perseverance and courage are worthy of celebration.
We also extend our appreciation to the teachers, parents and guardians who walked this journey with the students, especially in an education landscape that has faced immense pressure to evolve. Preparing for and sitting the 11-Plus remains a formidable undertaking. And while some may now wear the badge of “top performers”, every child who sat the exam has already achieved something important.
This year’s results offer plenty of reason for encouragement. English scores have reached their highest national average in nearly a decade—72.5 per cent, up significantly from 65.2 last year—while mathematics scores also saw a welcome increase. This upward trajectory reflects hard work in the classroom and a real commitment to improving literacy and numeracy across the system. The Ministry of Education deserves credit for investing in structured literacy programmes that are beginning to show results. These signs of progress should be recognised and applauded.
However, we would be doing our students and our country a disservice if we only focused on the wins and failed to acknowledge the continuing challenges that lurk beneath the surface.
The data shows that literacy and comprehension difficulties remain widespread. A significant proportion of students still struggle to grasp basic language skills, and this has long-term implications, not just for exam results, but for their ability to access future learning, employment, and full participation in society. In English, while a strong 85 per cent of students scored above 50 per cent, two children scored zero. In mathematics, 35 per cent of students failed to reach the halfway mark. These numbers are sobering.
Most worrying is the ongoing gender gap in performance. Once again, girls outperformed boys in both subjects, continuing a pattern that has persisted for years. Boys remain under-represented at the top of the performance tables and over-represented among those struggling. If left unchecked, this imbalance risks becoming entrenched, with social and economic consequences that could reverberate for generations.
We must therefore ask difficult but necessary questions. Are we identifying learning difficulties early enough? Are interventions happening quickly and effectively? Are we equipping all schools, not just the most sought-after, with the resources, training and support needed to nurture excellence?
We must also look critically at how we, as a society, define success. Too often, the 11-Plus becomes a sorting mechanism that assigns value based on school placement, reinforcing narrow perceptions of ability and potential. But the truth is, a child’s worth is not determined by a test taken at age 11, nor should their future be constrained by it. Many children bloom later. Many learn differently. And many will go on to achieve extraordinary things from schools that are rarely in the headlines.
It is heartening to hear that the ministry is maintaining its commitment to remediation, summer programmes, and inclusive education policies. These efforts are essential, but they must be sustained, expanded, and refined. We must ensure that no child is left behind—not those with learning differences, not those without access to tutors, not those whose talents lie outside the narrow academic mould.
As a nation, we must move toward a more inclusive vision of education that values every learner and measures success not only by high scores but by how far we lift those who begin at a disadvantage. We must celebrate every child, regardless of the school they will attend, and recommit ourselves to building a system where all students, not just the highest achievers, are given the tools and opportunities to thrive.
So as we recognise the bright spots in this year’s 11-Plus, let us also confront the gaps that persist with honesty and resolve.
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