By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Choithram International School Freetown has been ranked the number one private school in Sierra Leone for 2026 by leading global education rankings platform Schoolbell.net, a remarkable achievement that underscores the school’s world-class quality of education despite having commenced operations only in September 2024.
The ranking, released under Schoolbell.net’s annual “10 Best Private Schools in Sierra Leone” list, assessed institutions using a Contextual Reputation Score, a metric that evaluates online credibility, digital presence and reputation signals among peer institutions. Choithram International School Freetown topped the list with a perfect score of 100.0, outperforming all other private schools nationwide.
Education analysts and stakeholders say the recognition is particularly significant given the school’s short operational history. In less than two years of operation, Choithram International School Freetown has risen to the top of Sierra Leone’s private education sector; a feat widely seen as strong evidence that the quality of education offered meets international and world-class standards.
According to Elmer Kang-Juk, Division Director for Africa at Schoolbell.net, the ranking reflects how schools are perceived within the broader educational ecosystem, particularly in terms of trust, visibility and consistency in delivering quality education. He noted that private schools in Sierra Leone play a critical role in offering comprehensive academic programmes that prepare pupils for both local and international opportunities.
The 2026 rankings placed The British International School and Montessori Education second with a score of 99.7, followed closely by American International School of Freetown in third place with 98.9. Other institutions in the top ten include Ayoub International School, Chester Academy of Sierra Leone and Providence International High Schoolamong others.
For Choithram International School Freetown, the number-one ranking is being widely interpreted as validation of its rapid but strategic investment in academic excellence, highly qualified teaching staff, modern learning facilities and a strong emphasis on holistic education. Since opening in September 2024, the school has quickly built a reputation for nurturing well-rounded students who excel academically while developing strong values, discipline and global awareness.
Observers also point to the school’s strong digital footprint, effective communication with parents and consistent engagement with the wider community as key contributors to its top reputation score; factors that typically take institutions many years to establish.
Schoolbell.net, a Singapore-based education analytics platform founded in 2021, uses publicly available data combined with proprietary metrics to benchmark education providers worldwide. Unlike traditional rankings that focus heavily on examination results alone, the platform’s Contextual Reputation Score measures how a school stands relative to similar institutions based on online signals and reputation indicators.
According to the platform, the goal of the ranking is to help parents and guardians make clear, fast and informed decisions when selecting schools, particularly in competitive education markets.
With this latest recognition, Choithram International School Freetown has firmly established itself as a leading force in Sierra Leone’s private education sector, proving that excellence, when built on strong foundations, can be achieved in a remarkably short time. The ranking reinforces the school’s commitment to delivering world-class education and shaping the next generation of global leaders.
Top 10 Private Schools in Sierra Leone – 2026 (by Reputation Score):
- Choithram International School Freetown (100.0)
- The British International School and Montessori Education (99.7)
- American International School of Freetown (98.9)
- Ayoub International School (97.5)
- Chester Academy of Sierra Leone (95.7)
- Providence International High School (93.3)
- Lebanese International School (90.4)
- Olive B. Academy (87.0)
- Romans International Academy (83.0)
- Sierra Leone Grammar School (75.0)
