The Identification Of Responsibility On The Part Of The Student – The Antidote To Poor Exam Performance In Ghana

Education is a necessity, a right of every person and a tool for developing the human resources for development whether socially or economically. Due to the increasing enrolment of students and easy accessibility to education in recent times, there is the need to assess students on what they have been taught and learned, thus the institution of examination. The performance of every student whether internally or externally (i.e. WASSCE) is a matter of concern to teachers, parents, government, society and the student as an individual.

Since the commencement of WASSCE in 2006, the performance of Ghanaian students has become a matter of public concern with the initial performance at 10.2%. A decade of students sitting for WASSCE has exposed the kind of students as a country, Ghana churns out into the job market as well as those climbing the academic ladder. In 2016, more than 140,000 students representing a little over 50% failed this year’s examination with a little over 32% qualifying to gain admission into the next level of education which is a worrying issue as a developing country. Many will argue that there is an appreciable level of improvement after 10 years and that is an undeniable fact but is this what the nation desires?

Many have blamed governments and teachers for not doing enough to ensure better performances on the part of students in their exams, but society have failed to blame itself and those who are the key partakers of the exams. Others have blamed the performance on curricular which has no significant basis. As a society, we have failed to interrogate the role of the student who is the writer of the exam and his or her responsibility in ensuring success. What are the targets of the students as well as their preparations towards exams? We must conscientize the students to have purposes and have targets for their education. Students must take their destinies into their hands and stop wasting precious times on social media and unnecessary things.

Most students spend between 3-5 hours a day using the internet or being on social media, but have the students sat down and asked themselves if they spent most of their times on their books what their performances will be? Parents must take responsibilities in ensuring the successes of their children by supervising and showing utmost interests in their education. In addition, students must challenge themselves and set targets for themselves and when they fail to meet their targets, they must do performance evaluation and find solutions by forming group studies to find assistance from those who are better in their lacking areas. Students must show responsibility in matters of their performance in education and success if they are to climb the social and educational ladder.

JOHN ABBAM NYARKO
(DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT)
DEFENCE NETWORK FOR DEMOCRACY (DEFNED)
0203667766