Director of Schools and Instructions Division at the Ghana Education Service, Prince Charles Agyemang-Duah, has announced a reduction in the number of subjects to be assessed during the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
This decision, reached in collaboration with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NACCA) and various stakeholders, aims to create a more focused and meaningful learning environment.
In an interview with Accra based MX24 at the sidelines of a seminar held in Accra, Agyemang-Duah highlighted the careful deliberation and expert advice that led to this pivotal decision.
He emphasized that the previous nine subjects were deemed excessive, with some subjects appearing redundant and repetitive. As a result, the subject “Our World Our People” has been eliminated from the curriculum.
Agyemang-Duah explained that upon closer examination, this subject exhibited significant overlap with social studies, making the learning experience appear burdensome and potentially punitive for students.
“We realized that the number of subjects the students learn at a particular stage was too much and there were some subjects that were more or less like repetition.
“This subject; Our world our people, has been scrapped because when you look inside that particular course in the curriculum and you compare it to the social studies, it’s like duplication, the same topic here and there”
“The goal is to ensure that learning is not perceived as a punishment for children but rather as a meaningful and productive experience,” stated Agyemang-Duah.
The streamlined curriculum aims to make education more purposeful and relevant, providing students with a more focused and enriched learning experience.
Starting with the 2024 BECE, candidates will now be assessed in five subjects, reflecting a thoughtful and strategic approach to curriculum development.
” So, what has been done is that in the 2024 BECE , five subjects are going to be written by the candidates”
The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) holds significant importance as the primary assessment determining students’ eligibility for admission into secondary and vocational schools in Ghana and Nigeria.
Administered by the Ghana Education Service under the Ministry of Education, the BECE covers a range of subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Religious and Moral Education, French (optional), Ghanaian language, Basic Design and Technology, and Information Communication and Technology.
The recent decision to streamline the subjects to five for the 2024 BECE reflects a commitment to enhance the educational experience, although specific details regarding which subjects will be retained or removed remain unclear.
