General Secretary of Ghana Private Schools Association, Justice King Essel, has urged education authorities to introduce a more transparent grading system for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to give a clearer picture of students’ performance.
He explained that the current norm referencing method used by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) compares candidates within the same examination group instead of assessing their individual marks against a fixed standard.
According to Mr Essel, the grading structure makes it difficult for parents and students to understand the actual performance of candidates because results are presented mainly through grades without showing the raw scores obtained. The General Secretary argued that the education system has changed significantly since basic education became compulsory, making it necessary for assessment methods to also evolve to reflect the current structure.
Discussing the changes in education over the years, he noted that the previous system was designed to select only the highest performing students for progression, especially during periods when basic education was not compulsory for every child.
However, Mr Essel explained that the introduction of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education programme changed the purpose of basic education by requiring all children to progress through the system. He therefore believes the assessment process must now focus on clear academic standards where students, parents and schools can easily determine what each grade represents.
“If Grade 1 is from 100 to 75, let it be so. So that if the quality of education is dropping, we can all stakeholders come together and see how we can improve it.”
Justice King Essel
Referencing the current approach, Mr Essel disclosed that a student who performs strongly in an examination may fail to receive the highest grade if the individual does not fall within the required percentage of top performers. He noted that under the existing arrangement, a fixed percentage of candidates receive the top grades regardless of the actual marks they obtain, a situation he believes affects the understanding of academic achievement.
Furthermore, the General Secretary highlighted that parents often rely on grades when making decisions about their children’s educational future, making it important for those grades to carry a clear and measurable meaning. From his perspective, a standards based grading structure would allow stakeholders to identify weaknesses within the education sector and develop solutions to improve learning outcomes.
Justice Essel also referenced previous examination systems such as Common Entrance and O Level, explaining that changes in educational policy require corresponding adjustments in how students are assessed. He added that reforms in education must include assessment methods that promote openness and allow every stakeholder to understand the level of achievement represented by each grade.
BECE Results System Faces Calls For Greater Transparency
The General Secretary of Ghana Private Schools Association, Justice King Essel, also called for reforms in the BECE grading and placement process to ensure fairness for all candidates, particularly in how examination performance data is handled.
He argued that the current assessment method makes it difficult to determine the actual performance levels of students because candidates are ranked against one another instead of being graded according to clearly defined marks. According to Mr Essel, the use of norm referencing creates uncertainty around the meaning of grades because parents are unable to know the exact academic standard attached to each grade awarded by WAEC.
Addressing the issue, he explained that the system could affect students who are capable of continuing to senior high school because placement decisions may sometimes be influenced by the grading structure instead of only their demonstrated academic ability.
“The question is, what is Grade 1? What does this 4% thing representing Grade 1 mean to our parents?” he queried.
Furthermore, the General Secretary disclosed that private schools have consistently sought access to clearer performance information to help assess how their students compare with others within the education system. He noted that while private schools pay registration fees for their students to participate in the BECE, they do not receive the same level of access to performance data available for placement and evaluation purposes.
Mr Essel explained that the distinction between private and public schools during administrative processes creates difficulties in ensuring equal treatment among students who sit for the same national examination. In addition, he referenced the changes introduced through the Education Act 2020, arguing that the relationship between private schools and education authorities requires further review to align with the new structure of pre tertiary education management.
From his perspective, examination authorities and education agencies must adopt systems that allow schools to understand performance trends and contribute effectively to improving learning outcomes. The General Secretary also highlighted the issue of BECE placement, noting that discussions between stakeholders have already contributed to reducing the placement gap experienced by some students.
However, he maintained that more reforms are required to address unresolved challenges within the examination and placement processes. Similarly, Mr Essel called for a review of how WAEC determines grades, questioning why candidates should be compared with one another when the education system could rely on fixed academic benchmarks.
“The focus should be on performance standards. We need to know what each grade represents and what students have actually achieved.”
Justice King Essel
Additionally, he argued that greater access to reliable examination information would help schools, parents and policymakers make informed decisions about educational improvement. Justice Essel believes that transparency within the BECE system would strengthen trust among stakeholders and provide a better foundation for addressing challenges within basic education.
Meanwhile, he encouraged continued engagement between education authorities, examination bodies and private schools to develop reforms that support fairness and accountability. He outlined that a clearer assessment framework would benefit students across both private and public institutions by ensuring that academic achievement is measured through understandable and consistent standards.
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