The report by the Chief Examiner of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has identified candidates' inability to read and comprehend questions correctly as the cause of students' low grades.

It was claimed in Parliament on Thursday that last year, half the BECE candidates failed.

The Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Professor Dominic Fobih, who disclosed the WAEC findings, said to improve on the situation, the ministry has introduced comprehensive measures, including cultivation of reading habits as well as ensuring that kindergartens are staffed by qualified teachers so as to build a strong foundation for the children.

Prof Fobih was responding to a question in Parliament by John Akologo Tia, NDC - Talensi and Minority Chief Whip – as to why about 50 per cent of the 320,235 Junior High School (JHS) students who sat the 2007 Basic Education Certificate (BECE) failed.

The Minister corrected the figure, saying it was 47.8 per cent which represented candidates who failed to obtain between aggregate six and 30 which is the cut-off point for placement into SHS and technical institutes.

He explained that students who obtained from grades one to eight in their subjects got certificates in those subjects.

Prof Fobih said the grading system of the BECE was both for placement into second-cycle schools and certification.

"It is to be noted that when a school is said to have obtained a 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," he said.

"It does not mean that no candidate passed in at least one of the eight subjects offered at the junior high school," he added.

Prof Fobih said the cause was linked to the method of computing one's aggregate for placement adding that the best six subjects including the four core subjects namely mathematics, science, English and social science are used and must total not more than 30.

Prof Fobih expressed worry over Mr Tia's concern about candidates' performance in the 2007 BECE saying that the ministry was providing incentives like accommodation and motor bicycles among others, to motivate teachers to give of their best so as to improve learning and teaching especially in the rural areas.


Source: Times