2018 BECE 

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE BASIC EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION, BECE.
 
A crucial foundation for the development of children in this country is primary and junior high education which prepares children for the Basic Education Certificate Examination, BECE. Prior to the start of the examination, the candidates were expected to have prepared adequately to ensure success. Teachers and parents were also expected to have played crucial roles to ensure that the children were put in the right frame of mind to write their papers. Even though some schools are more endowed than others in terms of facilities, it is believed that teachers and administrators did their best to overcome the challenges they faced. 

At the basic level, education is expected to prepare the children and equip them with the needed skills to prepare them for future life. It is in the light of this that the state must show enough interest in all processes leading to admission, study of various subjects, supply of equipment as well as encouragement to school teachers and administrators to go about their duties as expected. A major motivation here is the opportunity provided by government through the free SHS system to enable the BECE candidates to further their education at a higher level. 

Two major frameworks for studying education quality and school effectiveness have evolved since the 1960s. One of them known as the Policy Mechanics Approach puts emphasis on instructional inputs and teaching practices that yield higher achievements. The other Approach, known as Classroom Culturalists, focuses on the concept of culture which plays a part in the socialisation process that occurs within classrooms. Be that as it may, however, school children need quality instructions and teaching practices as well as effective socialisation process based on a person’s culture to become knowledgeable and useful members of society. 

Education at the early stages of life is meant to transform children to become useful citizens to serve their country irrespective of wherever they find themselves. This means that the state must use all appropriate strategies, as it is doing now, to ensure that every child is given adequate preparation to come out with flying colours so as to become productive when they come of age. Education at the basic level must be appropriate and relevant to national needs. The development of the country depends largely on the kind of education given to the citizens. It is heart-warming that officials of the Ministry of Education have wished all candidates well and advised them to comport themselves and obey all rules governing the conduct of the examination. It is also good that other officials have advised schools and candidates not to encourage indiscipline and any form of cheating during the period of the examination. The way children conduct themselves as they write their papers will have a telling effect on the quality of life displayed as citizens in future. This explains why no teacher or supervisor ought to encourage the candidates to engage in cheating. The examination provides a fair opportunity to every child to prove his or her worth, a fact which explains why honesty, discipline and obedience to examination rules must be their guiding principles. 

It is hoped this year’s examination will be free from malpractices. We wish all BECE candidates well at this crucial time in their lives, hoping that they will pass with flying colours!  

BY DR. KOFI AMPONSAH-BEDIAKO, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, GHANA STANDARDS AUTHORITY.
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