Grade 9 Selection List for 2025 High and Secondary Schools (PNG Grade 8 Exam Results 2024)

Many parents will be wondering about the final Grade 9 selection list for 2025. It can be a struggle to find out, especially if you do not know who to ask. 

Here is some information about the selection of Grade 9 students for high and secondary schools in PNG. It gives details of the Grade 8 exams, exam results and Grade 9 selection.

Grade 9 Selection in PNG

The Grade 9 selection is based on the student's internal marks (school-based) and external marks (examination marks). Grade 8 Students wanting to go to the top secondary and high schools must do well in both internal and external assessments.

It is important to understand that, though the Grade 8 examination is set by the National Department of Education in Port Moresby, the Grade 8 examinations and Grade 9 selection is decentralised to the provinces in the country. Hence, the running of the exam and selecting students to Grade 9 is done in the provinces, by the provincial education board in collaboration with heads of Primary Schools.

Recommended: Read about MOMASE Region Grade 9 Selection, Grade 11 selections and PNG Tertiary Institutions selections.

Provincial Education Board & Grade 9 Selections Lists 2025

The education officers, in collaboration with headteachers and Grade 8 teachers, in the provinces are in charge of: 

• exam security, 
• conducting and marking the exams, 
• quality-checking the Grade 8 exam results,
• selecting students to Grade 9, and 
• reporting to the Education Department.

Provincial Examination Supervisor (Grade 8 PES)

The key person in the province responsible for the smooth flow of the Grade 8 examinations is the Provincial Examination Supervisor (PES). The Grade 8 PES is a national education officer, as the inspector and Guidance Officer, but based in the provinces. 

The PES liaises with the Measurement Services Division on matters pertaining to exams, students' school data, conducting of exams, reporting on exams and giving feedback on exam-related issues.

Grade 8 Examinations in Primary Schools

The following examinations are taken by Grade 8 students at the end of Primary School:

• English
• Mathematics (Past Exam Papers)
• Combined Subjects 

Grade 8 Certificate of Basic Education Examination (CoBEE)

Every Grade 9 student in the country should have a Certificate of Basic Education Examination (CoBEE). Many provinces have failed to issue the CoBEE. If you are a parent/student from one of these provinces, demand that your children get the certificate. It is an important achievement.

Some people thought that CoBEE was not necessary because of its limited uses. However, wouldn't it be right for the Grade 8 students to celebrate 8 years of Primary School education with an award? 

Like the other certificates of merit, the Grade 8 certificate marks a milestone in a child's education journey. Each province, and provincial education board in the country, should prioritise this award and issue the certificate to Grade 8 school leavers. 

Grade 9 Selections to Secondary Schools 2025

Potential Grade 9 students can check their Grade 8 exam results at the provincial education office. Usually, the PES and Headteachers have access to the final results.

Parents should go through the schools/headteachers if they want to address any exam-related queries. The schools will raise their concern with PES and get an answer for them.

As mentioned earlier, PES is the key person in the province. He is the 'glue' that binds the Grade 8 exam results and Grade 9 selection - the go-to person - in the provinces.

New Grade 9 Students' Placement for 2025

In some instances, many secondary schools and high schools have feeder schools. The system allows for Grade 8 students to transition to Grade 9. Such transition (the Grade 8 to Grade 9 transition) makes it easier for parents to find out if their children have continued to Grade 9, or not.

Some top high and secondary school principals prefer the best Grade 8 students in the province. If you know that your child does well in the Grade 8 examination  (and is not selected to the local high school), check with the top secondary schools in the province. The schools may have picked him/her.

Parents and citizens in NCD, Central, Morobe and other main centres will have difficulty finding out their children's Grade 9 placement for 2025. The best place to check is the provincial education office. Ask for the Grade 8 PES or the chairperson of the Provincial Grade 9 Selection Committee and speak to them calmly. They will help you. 

Leave a comment below in regards to this article if you have questions or wish to add value to this discussion.

About PNG Insight

PNG Insight is an education blog. It aims to highlight the key developments in the education sector in Papua New Guinea. Started in 2014 on Google's blogger (now self-hosted on WordPress), PNG Insight strives to be a platform for critical thinking and discussions; and a source of information.

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