UE Education Directorate to investigate string of poor performance at BECE level

story & Pix: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga The Upper East Regional Director of Education, Mr Paul Apanga has bemoaned the continuous decline in the performance of pupils at the Basic Education Certificate Examination. In a speech read on his behalf by Mr. Gregory Amoa a speech read on his at this year's Independence Day parade hat Bolgantanga, Mr. Apanga said equally distraught at poor performance recorded over the years is the Director General of the Ghana Education Service(GES) who have gone a step further and requested a research to be conducted into the causes of the continued decline in the BECE especially in the three regions in Northern Ghana with the view of proposing possible remedies to stem the decline. This year, pupils selected from 32 primary schools, 27 Junior High Schools and six Senior High schools joined a contingent from the security agencies to take part in the parade. There was Gymnastic and Taekwando displays by selected pupils. The Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga, Mr. Edward Ayagle in the absence of a substantive regional minister took the salute and read the president anniversary message. For the first time, a cash award was presented to the school adjudged the best during the march pass. Awogyeya Primary School took home a cash of GH c 100 made possible by African Financial Services Ghana Limited. The branch manager, Mr Adam Abdul Basit said the gesture was to encourage the pupils to show keen interest in extra curriculum activities in school which forms part of their grooming. Mr Apanga while expressing the hope that the research will bring out working solutions also entreated Municipal and District Directors of Education to intensify supervision in basic schools. He also urged teachers to go the extra mile and make the necessary efforts to prepare good lesson notes, use appropriate teaching methods, give individual attention to pupils with learning difficulties and create child friendly environments for pupils to develop interest in subjects ares such as mathematics, Integrated Science, English Language, Social Studies and I.C.T. He also called on head teachers and circuit supervisors to scrutinize lesson notes before vetting, observe teachers teach and offer professional advice where necessary . The Regional Director advice pupils to take their learning seriously both at school and at home emphasizing that attended dances, watching movies, dating at the expense of their studies will only spell doom for them in the future. He also urge parents to play thief supervisory roles well to motivate their wards to learn. End