Since 2016, the National Department of Education takes pride in announcing the ranks of the Top Performing Schools in PNG. Each school in the country ranks according to its performance in the national examination or as the most improved school.
Top Performing Secondary and National High Schools (Grade 12)
Here is the latest update of the top-performing Secondary and National High Schools in PNG from 2019 – 2021.
PNG Insight created the summary tables of the Top Secondary and National Highs Schools in PNG. Note that the National High Schools are now called the Schools of Excellence.
Top 10 Secondary Schools in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea's top secondary schools by rank according to the yearly examination performances. As explained earlier, the ranks are determined by how well the students performed in the examination. In the 2021/2022 ranks, there were 198 secondary schools (excluding the National High Schools) in PNG. Here are the top 10 schools by Grade 12 exam performance since 2019. (Note that this is the performance of the govt and agency schools ONLY.)| RANK | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marianville Secondary School NCD | Marianville Secondary School NCD | Marianville Secondary School NCD | Marianville Secondary School - NCD |
| 2 | St Gabriel's Technical Secondary School - Western | Mt Hagen Secondary School WHP | Mt Hagen Secondary School WHP | St.Charles Lwanga Secondary - NCD |
| 3 | Paglum Adventist Secondary School - WHP | St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School NCD | St Ingatius Secondary School West Sepik | Mt. Hagen Secondary-WHP |
| 4 | St. Ignatus Secondary Schools - West Sepik | Busu Secondary School Morobe | Busu Secondary School Morobe | Busu Secondary-Morobe |
| 5 | Mt Hagen Secondary School WHP | Lihir Secondary School New Ireland | St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School NCD | Cameron Secondary-Milne Bay |
| 6 | Yalibu Secondary School - SHP | Oksapmin Secondary School - West Sepik | Cameron Secondary School Milne Bay | St.Gabriel Technical Secondary - Western |
| 7 | Lihir Secondary School New Ireland | St. Ignatus Secondary Schools - West Sepik | De La Salle Secondary School NCD | Lae Secondary - Morobe |
| 8 | Brandi Secondary School - ESP | Paglum Adventist Secondary School - WHP | Lae Secondary School Morobe | Goroka Secondary-Eastern Highlands |
| 9 | Cameron Secondary School Milne Bay | Cameron Secondary School Milne Bay | Lihir Secondary School New Ireland | St. Mary’s (Asitavi) Secondary - AROB |
| 10 | Kagua Secondary School - SHP | Arawa Secondary Schools - AROB | Tokarara Secondary School NCD | Sacred Heart (Tapini) Secondary-Central Province |
Top Performng National High Schools - National Schools of Excellence
There are 6 national high schools in Papua New Guinea. Here are the top National High Schools of Excellence since 2019. The rank shows how well each national high school performed in the national examination over the years.| RANK | 2021 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passam National High School | Passam National High School | Passam National High School | Port Moresby National High School |
| 2 | Kerevat National High School | Port Moresby National High School | Port Moresby National High School | Aiyura National High School |
| 3 | Port Moresby National High School | Wawin National High School | Kerevat National High School | Sogeri National High School |
| 4 | Wawin National High School | Kerevat National High School | Sogeri National High School | Wawin National High School |
| 5 | Sogeri National High School | Aiyura National High School | Aiyura National High School | Passam National High School |
| 6 | Aiyura National High School | Sogeri National High School | Wawin National High School | Kerevat National High School |
Top Performing High and Secondary Schools (Grade 10)
Here is the summary table of the schools that produce the top Grade 10 students in the country.
Papua New Guinea's top provincial high and secondary schools' positional ranks are determined by the students' performances in the national Grade 10 examinations. Here are the top 10 schools since 2019. (Note that this is the performance of the govt and agency schools ONLY.)
| RANK | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School NCD | St. Charles Lwanga - NCD | St. Charles Lwanga - NCD | Oksapmin High School - West Sepik |
| 2 | Busu Secondary School Morobe | Cameron Secondary School - Milne Bay | Busu Secondary School - Morobe | St Charles Lwanga Secondary School - NCD |
| 3 | Anditale High School - Enga | Marianville Secondary School- NCD | Cameron Secondary School - Milne Bay | Marianville Secondary School - NCD |
| 4 | Marianville Secondary School NCD | Gordons Secondary School - NCD | Manus Secondary School - Manus | Mt Hagen Secondary School - WHP |
| 5 | * | Busu Secondary School - Morobe | Marianville Secondary School- NCD | Busu Secondary School - Morobe |
| 6 | Cameron Secondary-Milne Bay | Mercy Secondary School - East Sepik | Vanimo Secondary School - Sandaun | Mercy Secondary School - East Sepik |
| 7 | De La Salle (Bomana) Secondary School - NCD | Kuiaro High School - Milne Bay | De La Salle Secondary School - NCD | Lae Secondary School - Morobe |
| 8 | Oksapmin Secondary School - West Sepik | Kundiawa Lutheran Day Secondary School - Simbu | Mercy Secondary School - East Sepik | Manus Secondary School - Manus |
| 9 | Mercy Secondary School - East Sepik | Vanimo Secondary School - Sandaun | Mt Hagen Secondary School WHP | St Ignatius Secondary School - West Sepik |
| 10 | St. Ignatus Secondary School - West Sepik | NA | Kundiawa Lutheran Day Secondary School Simbu | De La Salle (Bomana) Secondary School - NCD |
Ranking the Top Performing Schools in PNG
The education department ranks the schools as the top 10 performing schools based on how well the students perform in the exams. Also, the department recognises schools that show improvement in performance over the years.
A school can rank among the top-performing schools or as the most improved school.
Firstly, the department uses what is called the Mean Rating Index, MRI. It converts the students’ Grades in each school to percentages (out of 100%) or decimals (out of 1) and ranks them.
In simple terms, the more As (in Grade 12) or Distinctions (in Grade 10 ), the higher MRI a school gets. The schools are then sorted in order to pick out the top-performing schools in the country.
Secondly, the most improved schools are those that show signs of improvement as compared to their past performances. It is a good indicator of improved teaching and learning introduced recently to acknowledge a school’s achievements.
2022 Exam Results
The Grade 10 and Grade 12 exam results are out, released on the 9th of December 2022. Students can now check their results online.
Visit My PNG Exam Results portal.
Grade 11 Selections 2023
The Grade 11 selections will take place as soon as the selection committee from the provinces get the exam results. Reassuringly, the results are out! That means that the selection should be starting now.
It may take up to 2 weeks to complete the Grade 11 selection. Check this article for more info.
DHERST National Online Selection 2023
DHERST announced the dates for selections and release of acceptance lists on its website. Here is a brief of the dates:
- NOAS Grace Period: Mon, 12th December – Thur, 15th December 2022
- Launching of 2022 selection for the 2023 academic year: Wed, 21st December 2022
Check this article for more info on DHERST National Online Selection 2023
Hi, I’m Sem from Pom. Thanks for the updates and all the hard-working staff at the Education Dept to make this report possible. I have a concern here and it’s relating to your article posted here on this page about ranking. I recently watched two presentations given by Dr. Pasi Sahlberg and it’s about why and how Finland’s education is the top best in the world. Here’s something he said in the first presentation in the Ted Talk. There’s a virus that’s killing most schools today and that’s comparisons. I won’t say any further but I’ll just leave you the topics of the Ted Talks, check it out on YouTube
1) GERM that kills schools: Pasi Sahlberg at TEDxEast
2) Finnish Lessons: What the World Can Learn from Educational Change in Finland
Concerned Citizen.