The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare has voiced strong concerns over the New Patriotic Party Presidential Candidate, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s proposal to abolish the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as the means of placing students into Senior High Schools (SHS).
The proposal, which forms a key component of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 manifesto, according to Mr Asare lacks detailed information about what would replace the current system.
“The NPP promises in its 2024 manifesto to introduce a new SHS placement assessment system to replace what BECE currently does. Unfortunately, details are unavailable in the manifesto”.
Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Africa Education Watch
In a compelling remark, Mr Asare posed a series of critical questions to Dr Bawumia and his campaign team, urging them to provide clarity on the specifics of the proposed new SHS placement assessment system.
Key Questions Raised
Among several questions, the Africa Education Watch Executive Director questioned the fundamental rationale behind scrapping the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), asking, “What problem does replacing BECE for SHS placement assessment seek to solve?”.
He emphasized the need for the NPP to clearly articulate the issues they perceive in the current BECE system that necessitate such a drastic change.
Again, Mr Asare pressed further, asking, “What will BECE be replaced with?”, asserting that the absence of details in the manifesto creates uncertainty about what new system will be implemented, and how it will function in practice.
Mr Asare also demanded a value addition case, questioning how the new system would improve upon the current BECE process.
He asked, “What is the value addition case?” implying that any new system must demonstrably offer superior outcomes in terms of fairness, accuracy, and efficiency.
Questioning how the proposal would address challenges associated with the Basic Education Certificate Examination, the education think-tank leader urged the NPP to explain how the proposed assessment method would address the existing challenges of the BECE.
“How does it solve the key BECE challenges?” he queried, emphasizing the need for a reform that directly tackles the known shortcomings of the current system.
Another critical aspect of Mr Asare’s inquiry revolved around the nature of the proposed assessment. He questioned, “What is this new method of assessment? High stakes, aptitude, portfolio assessment?”
Moreover, Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch expressed concerns about maintaining educational standards under the new system, asking, “What is the quality assurance case?”.
This question, he noted underscores the importance of ensuring that any new assessment method is rigorously tested and validated to ensure it upholds the integrity and reliability of the placement process.
He also raised the issue of how a potential “no subject-based external assessment policy” might affect students’ attitudes towards learning.
Mr Asare questioned, “What is the likely implication of a possible ‘no subject-based external assessment policy’ on student learning attitude?” suggesting that a shift away from subject-specific assessments could have unintended consequences on how students engage with their studies.
Finally, Mr Asare sought clarification on how the proposal would impact the current Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), which relies heavily on BECE results for SHS placement.
“How will this proposal affect the current CSSPS?” he asked, highlighting the potential challenges of integrating a new assessment system with the existing placement infrastructure.
Kofi Asare’s statement reflects a broader concern within Ghana’s education system, highlighting the lack of transparency and detail in the NPP’s proposed education reforms.
“I think this is too major a policy reform proposal to be announced in a bullet sentence,” Mr Asare remarked, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
He called on Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his team to urgently provide more comprehensive details to the Ghanaian public.
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