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09.09.2009 Feature Article

Expand exam time table for BECE

Only 50 per cent of candidates who sat for the BECE this year passedOnly 50 per cent of candidates who sat for the BECE this year passed
09.09.2009 LISTEN

The question of low performance of BECE students in the schools should be the country's focus aside the number of years one should spend during senior high education, which has generated a lot of controversies on airwaves and the print media. There are people who feel that the fault is from the teachers and on the other hand, others feel is from the pupils and the other by the educational system; all arguments are sound. One would think that the most useful way to tackle this problem is to find a midpoint between these extreme thinkers.

A major cause of this low performance is the structure of the examination time table. That is, students using five (5) working days to write ten papers. That, I think, puts a lot of stress on their brains and bodies. I strongly believe their performance would be far above average when given a time frame of ten (10) days, it would help to improve the standard of BECE and also reduce the zero percent some schools record.

The syllabus of certain subjects like Integrated Science, Social Studies, Agricultural Science, and Mathematics are loaded and the structure of the examination time table does not also favor students. They write Social Studies and Integrated Science on the same day, and we expect students to perform creditably well. The exceptional students are those who always have ten (10) ones, and of what percentage do we get aggregate six students out of the total number of students who sat for the exams.

The SSS was having some setbacks but have been reviewed both in terms of curriculum and the expansion of examination days, which have produced above average performances from students, aside the issue of leakage of exam papers. Since they are been trained to enter into SSS and would use a month to write eight papers and in the Universities they can use a month ,three weeks and two weeks to write a maximum of ten courses, then they should be given the opportunity now.

Before the 2008 elections we heard various political parties using the low performance of BECE candidates as headlines on their platforms. Immediately, after elections the issue has been put to rest, and now three years and four years debate on senior high school is raised, whiles the foundations into SSS are falling.

My humble appeal to the Minister of Education, Director General of Ghana Education Service, West African Examination Council, and other stake holders is that they should consider reviewing the examination timetable for BECE students, else we would fight for what the pupils are due until results are achieved for the betterment of our dear nation.

Thank you.
Credit: Bannerman Solomon ([email protected]) 0244739494/0278407484/0264739494

President for Concerned People for Better Basic Education (CPBBE)

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