𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝟕𝟔.𝟗𝟖 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

…𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔

By Tashi Tshewang

Bhutan recorded an overall pass percentage of 76.98 percent in the Class VIII Board Examination 2025, with 12,039 students passing out of 12,143 registered candidates from 168 schools across the country, according to the recently declared results.

The candidates represented 155 government schools and 13 private schools, spanning higher, middle, and lower secondary levels nationwide, reflecting broad participation across the education system.

The national merit list was led by Sidanth Bhandari of Loselling Middle Secondary School, who secured the highest score with 94.6 percent. He was followed by Sangay Chhoden Lhazeen of Mongar Middle Secondary School, who scored 94 percent, and Ngawang Jetsun Seldon of Jigme Namgyel Lower Secondary School, who achieved 93.6 percent, highlighting strong academic performance among the country’s top students.

Beyond individual achievements, the results indicate a sustained improvement in national academic performance over recent years. In 2022, the pass rate stood at 56.38 percent, rising sharply to 75.99 percent in 2023. Although the rate dipped slightly to 71.45 percent in 2024, it rebounded in 2025 to 76.98 percent, marking one of the strongest performances in recent years.

This upward trend reflects improvements in academic preparation, school level planning, and coordinated support involving teachers, parents, and school management.

Sharing his experience, Sidanth Bhandari, the first position holder, said, “I did nothing extraordinary; it was consistency that made the difference. Even though I didn’t study for long hours, I made sure to put in effort every day, and I never skipped my study time. With the full support of my teachers and family, learning became easier.”

He said that during his preparation, the main challenges were overcoming procrastination and managing time while balancing regular schoolwork, noting that lessons sometimes felt overwhelming when handling multiple subjects.

He shared that learning effective time management from his father and watching motivational talks helped him stay focused and develop a strong learning mindset, while his brother remained his biggest source of inspiration.

He added, “Effort is what matters, but effort without reviewing where you went wrong is useless. I would encourage students to put in effort every day, even if it’s not much. If you are consistent, you will definitely see progress.”

Speaking on the institutional approach behind the achievement, Sangay Dorji, Principal of Mongar Middle Secondary School, said, “The student’s top national achievement is the result of sustained dedication, disciplined study habits, and the continuous academic guidance provided by our experienced faculty, complemented by the strong support of parents. This accomplishment reflects not only individual effort but also the collective commitment of teachers, staff, and the school community to nurture excellence in learning.”

He explained that during board examination years, the school places strong emphasis on structured academic planning, including regular assessments to track student progress, focused revision programmes to strengthen understanding of key concepts, and personalized mentoring tailored to address individual learning needs.

According to him, the school also prioritizes students’ emotional well being by providing counseling, continuous motivation, and a supportive environment that helps learners build confidence, resilience, and a positive attitude toward challenges.

He added, “These outstanding results stand as a testament to the value of perseverance, quality teaching, and collective effort. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our teachers for their unwavering dedication and commitment to guiding students. At the same time, I encourage students across the country to pursue excellence with confidence, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose, while recognizing that success comes from consistent effort, reflection, and the support of both family and educators.”

Similarly, Tashi, Vice Principal of Jigme Namgyel Lower Secondary School, said that the school’s proactive academic interventions played a key role in student performance.

“We were confident of our students’ success because our school conducts mandatory remedial classes from 8 am to 9:10 am before the start of regular classes, providing focused support to strengthen their understanding. These sessions are designed to provide students with additional guidance on difficult subjects and help them strengthen their understanding before the main lessons start,” he said.

He added that top performing students during midterms were personally encouraged by calling them to the office, recognizing their potential and motivating them to maintain consistent effort throughout the year.

He further explained that the school emphasizes active parental engagement, conducting regular meetings with parents to seek cooperation in supporting students’ academic growth. Students are taught effective examination techniques and are also exposed to question papers from other schools, which are collected and solved in classrooms to familiarize them with different question patterns and strengthen problem solving skills.

He added, “We always advise students to seek guidance and counseling if they face any issues, whether academic or personal. We believe that addressing challenges early and providing continuous support plays a key role in ensuring students perform to the best of their abilities. Cooperation from both students and parents is just as important as classroom teaching in achieving excellent results, and it remains one of the cornerstones of our school’s approach to nurturing successful learners.”