The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), Kofi Asare, has proposed that the number of subject papers written during the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) should be reduced from the current 10/11 to four.

That, he said, was to reduce the five/six days used to write the examination, which is now mainly used for school placement and the associated cost that came with it.

He thus proposed that the examination be written in two days and candidates be examined in Mathematics, English, General Science and General Paper.

Currently, candidates are assessed in English Language, Religious and Moral Education, Social Studies, Creative Arts and Design, Science and Career Technology, Mathematics, Ghanaian Language, French, Computing and Arabic for those in Islamic schools.

“We can decide that we do only the three core: English, Mathematics, Science and then the remaining subjects will be a General Paper.

I'm saying General Paper because we don't want to create a situation where students will not learn the other subjects.”

“They will only learn the ones that they are likely to be examined in. So all the other subjects — Computing, Ghanaian Language, Social Studies — will be in the General Paper at various sections; they will all be compulsory, except for your optional language section so that you will be compelled to learn everything because the General Paper will encompass the whole curriculum,” Mr Asare told the Daily Graphic yesterday.

Certification
Mr Asare said prior to the introduction of the Free SHS in 2017, BECE largely determined whether a candidate qualified to enter secondary education.

At the time, he said candidates typically needed at least Aggregate 35 to gain admission, and less than 65 per cent were meeting this threshold.

In effect, he said BECE functioned as a screening examination that separated those who passed to progress to secondary school from those who did not.

“With the introduction of Free SHS, however, access to secondary education became near universal for BECE candidates.

“Today, about 98 per cent of candidates qualify annually for secondary education. In fact, candidates with Aggregate 54 are all in school,” he said.

That, Mr Asare said, meant that BECE results no longer primarily determined whether a student proceeds to secondary, but rather which school they were placed in.

Relevance
He said given the shift in relevance, the “question arises: why do candidates still sit 10 subjects over five days for what is essentially a placement exercise?”

He said in many systems, school placement was guided by aptitude tests and continuous assessment rather than a broad high-stakes examination.

“If BECE is to remain relevant in its current school placement context, its structure should reflect its purpose.

It is no longer a proficiency examination.

A more focused model could retain Mathematics, English and Science, while merging the remaining subjects into a General Paper.

“This would reduce assessment overload while ensuring students do not neglect any learning area.

Additionally, a reduced subject load could significantly cut examination costs, potentially by up to 40 per cent, while reducing stress on students and improving efficiency in the system.

Ghana spends over GH¢200 million annually on BECE,” he said.

Mr Asare said concerns that reducing the subject load would reduce the quality of learning, “though much appreciated, do not appear to be supported by evidence.”

He said they were not too different from the emotive concerns that “if you admit more into law and medical school, you dilute quality.”

“I welcome more evidence-based justifications for any concern that seeks to suggest maintaining 10 stand-alone subjects in BECE has a positive correlation to the quality of learning, while reducing to four, yet maintaining all subjects, dilutes quality,” he added.

Source: graphic.com.gh

1. Prior to the introduction of the Free Senior High School (SHS) Programme in 2017, Ghana's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) largely determined whether a candidate qualified to access secondary education.

2. At the time, candidates typically needed at least Aggregate 35 to gain admission, and less than 65% were meeting this threshold.

3. In effect, BECE functioned as a screening examination that separated those who passed to progress to secondary school from those who did not.

4. With the introduction of Free SHS, however, access to secondary education became near universal for BECE candidates.

5. Today, about 98% of candidates qualify annually for secondary education. In fact, candidates with Aggregate 54 are all in school.

6. This means BECE results no longer primarily determine whether a student proceeds to secondary, but rather which school they are placed in.

7. Given this shift in relevance, the question arises: why do candidates still sit 10 subjects over 5 days for what is essentially a placement exercise?

8. In many systems, school placement is guided by aptitude tests and continuous assessment rather than a broad high stakes examination.

9. If BECE is to remain relevant in its current school placement context, its structure should reflect its purpose.

10. It is no longer a proficiency examination. A more focused model could retain Mathematics, English, and Science, while merging the remaining subjects into a General Paper.

11. This would reduce assessment overload while ensuring students do not neglect any learning area.

12. Additionally, a reduced subject load could significantly cut examination costs, potentially by up to 40%, while reducing stress on students and improving efficiency in the system. Ghana spends over GHC 200 million annually on BECE.

13. Concerns that reducing the subject load will reduce the quality of learning, though much appreciated, do not appear supported with evidence.

14. Respectfully, they are not too different from the emotive concerns that if you admit more into law and medical school, you dilute quality.

15. I welcome more evidence based justifications for any concern that seeks to suggest maintaining 10 stand alone subjects in BECE has a positive correlation to the quality of learning, while reducing to 4, yet maintaining all subjects, dilutes quality.

16. Internationally, many education systems with free secondary education, including Brazil, Argentina, England, South Africa etc., do not have a BECE.

17. They place their first high stakes pre-tertiary assessments at the end of secondary education (South Africa, South America), or Grade 11 in England, without any evidence of lowered academic standards.

18. Ultimately, the strength of an education system is not determined by the volume of high stakes examinations at lower secondary, but by the quality, relevance and coherence of assessments relative to their purpose. Not just summative, but importantly, formative assessment.

19. This proposal was first made by Eduwatch to the Government of Ghana in 2023.

When the river changes course, even the fish must swim differently. -Larteh Proverb

Kofi Asare
99 Fog Avenue Legon Bypass
kasare@eduwatch.africa

A partnership between education policy think tank Eduwatch and AI start-up Kwame AI Inc. has opened up coding education opportunities for hundreds of students in underserved communities across Ghana.

At the centre of the initiative is SuaCode, Kwame AI’s flagship application that allows students to learn coding using smartphones without the need for computers. The application is designed specifically for learners with limited access to digital infrastructure, making it a scalable solution for expanding digital literacy.

The collaboration aims to bridge the country’s digital skills gap, equipping Junior High Schools (JHS) students in underserved districts with practical programming knowledge using mobile technology. Formalised on August 14, 2025, the partnership resulted in the rollout and completion of two cohorts of coding trainees in November and December 2025.

Under the programme, 500 students from both public and private JHS across 10 districts, Akatsi North, Builsa South, Cape Coast, Asokore Mampong, Ga West, Kintampo North, Mfantsiman, Nkwanta South, Tain, and Tamale, were selected to receive coding training.

Eduwatch supported the rollout by coordinating with schools, teachers, and parents, and providing technical assistance to ensure smooth implementation.

Out of the 500 targeted learners, 429 students representing 86% were successfully enrolled on the SuaCode platform. Of these, 131 participants joined the November and December cohorts.

Programme data shows that about 60% of admitted students completed and graduated from the course, indicating strong engagement and retention among participants.

The initiative reached students across 50 JHSs, highlighting the potential of partnerships between civil society and technology firms in tackling educational inequality.

Stakeholders say the collaboration not only enhances access to coding education but also prepares young people in underserved communities for future careers in technology and innovation.

Source: citinewsroom.com