As students all over the country prepare to write the final BECE exams that will transition them into the senior high schools of their choices, some candidates in Experimental ‘2’ Basic, in the Ayawaso Central Municipality, say that the only weapon at their disposal to pass well is to study and leave no stone unturned.

In an interview with a few of the candidates, they shared varying views when asked specific questions. “I’m preparing vigorously without fear to face the impending exams and to meet my target of grade 6-12. The only way out now is to study hard with the support of our teachers,” Beauty Prosper said. She continued, “I want to be a gynaecologist and would need a category “A” school with a standard science laboratory that would help me pursue the science course, hence the license to further my studies in the school of medicine.”
David Ayisi, who happened to be the Boys’ Perfect of the school, assured himself of good grades with a minimum of 6-12 if teachers could finish the syllabus and assist them with a thorough revision and guidance before they go to write on the 15th of November, 2021. In a very frank conversation, they admitted that the students were the cause of their failure, sometimes during exams, and urged their colleagues across the country to help teachers in classroom management for better teaching and learning. They enumerated issues like noise-making in classrooms even in the presence of teachers as one that doesn’t help them in their academics since noise was an enemy to all forms of learning.

They, however, bemoaned the lack of practice in the integrated science subjects as a core that is hampering their learning. This due to the government’s inability to provide all the equipment needed in the science laboratories so pupils could have a feel of what they are learning in theory. Alfred Kyei added that, “we are in a technological era in which ICT is the driving force, and I wonder why people learn ICT in books rather than using their senses of touch, feel, and sight with computers provided by authorities to aid in that regard”. He expressed his frustration that they could not compete with their colleagues in other parts of the world who have embraced technology and whose leaders had shown commitment to impacting and training the skills of their people to improve their living conditions.
In winding up the interview with them, they professed their readiness to learn and appealed to teachers across the country to be patient with learners, have more time to engage and help them improve their learning habits and all other issues they need to be assisted with. They advised their colleagues to form healthy study groups to help themselves as teachers do their part.
A teacher, Philomina Aryee, who was present during the interview, however, discounted the idea of students having a plan ‘B’ when choosing life careers. Instead, she advised that they give their best to achieve their aims. She said, “as they are about to choose their courses to pursue in the SHS if placed, they should pick courses that reflected their strengths and God-given talents”.
Ghana Education Service is yet to publish the total number of candidates who will be sitting for this year’s BECE exams in November but a total of about 531,624 candidates sat for last year’s exams. Social Studies and French will be the first two papers to start with on 15th November and end on the 19th of November, 2021 with ICT as the last paper.