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Education Ministry addresses poor
B.E.C.E results
Accra, July 10, GNA - The Chief Examiner's report suggests
that candidates' inability to read and comprehend
examination questions correctly are reasons for getting low
grades in last year's Basic Education Certificate
Examinations (BECE), Prof. Dominic Fobih, Minister of
Education, Science and Sports said on Thursday in
Parliament.
He said cultivating reading habits, emphasis on the study of
core subjects and the upgrading of programmes for both
untrained and certified teachers were among a number of
measures introduced to address the situation.
The Minister was responding to a question from the Minority
Chief Whip, Mr John Tia, on why 50 per cent of the 320,255
JSS students who sat for the 2007 final BECE failed.
"The 50 per cent referred to by the Honourable MP, which
actually is 47.8 per cent, represents the percentage of
candidates that failed to attain between aggregate six and
30 which is considered a cut-off point for placement into
the senior high schools and technical institutes."
"However, they may have obtained grades one to eight in some
subjects and therefore earned certificates in those subjects
passed," Prof Fobih explained to the House.
The Minister said the grading system in the BECE was for
both placement into second cycle institution and also for
certification.
"It is to be noted that when a school is said to have
obtained zero per cent in the BECE, what it means is that
none of the candidates in that particular school obtained
between aggregate six and 30. It does not mean that no
candidate passed in at least one of the eight subjects
offered at the junior high schools," the Minister said.
He said it was however, important to "acknowledge here that
the percentage of candidates that did not have between
aggregate six and 30 and who did not qualify for
consideration into the senior high school and technical
institutes as pointed out by the Honourable MP is worrying."
Prof. Fobih said other measures such as providing incentives
for teachers in the rural areas, and improved supervision
and monitoring by the districts directorates of education
were being established to help solve the problem.
GNA
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