The leadership of Africa Education Watch has reacted to the purported decision by the GES to use the 2023 school placement as a punishment tool for JHS2 students who wrote the 2023 BECE.
While such a move will contradict the basic right to education that these candidates must enjoy, such a move by the GES can also lead to legal suits against the GES.
GES can’t use school placement system as a punishment tool for JHS2 students who wrote 2023 BECE
Reacting to the GES decision, which was contained in a letter sighted by the Educationblog, Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has raised concerns over the Ghana Education Service (GES) decision to allegedly punish JHS2 and JHS1 students who sat the 2023 BECE.
In the said letter from the GES, it was required that junior high school heads provide attendance data for first- and second-year junior high school (JHS) pupils who missed classes from Monday, August 7th, to Friday, August 11th, 2023, during the 2023 BECE term.
However, in response to the GES letter, Kofi Asare, Director of EduWatch, stated that many parents have protested to his organisation about the risk of GES penalising their JHS 2 kids who took the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Their concerns stem from a GES circular that requested attendance records for pupils absent during BECE week. The parents are concerned that their child’s GES grade may bring down their BECE score or force them to attend a SHS in the lowest category.
Kofi Asare, Director of EduWatch, has indicated that the Ghana Education Service (GES) has not the power to influence the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results of candidates.
The candidates did not write the examination on their own volition and since there heads who allowed such students to be registered such head teachers should by punished if the need be and not the innocent students.
He furthered that the school placement system assigns spots based on merit and allots some schools based on protocols.
According to him, there are no criteria that he is aware of that aim to penalise candidates who are not JHS 3 students but sat the exam and passed. It would not be just, he explained.
Listening to media commentary by various public MoE/GES officers on the subject topic, it appears to me that there is a policy position against non-JHS 3 pupils writing BECE. If it were written, I’d love to read it and provide my thoughts on it.
Moving ahead, the MoE must explain its policy stance on JHS 1 and 2 pupils writing BECE in both private and public schools to stakeholders, notably parents, in a clear and convincing manner.
Stakeholder participation in promoting the proposed policy for wider acceptability and compliance based on its merits would be extremely helpful.
Non-JHS3 BECE takers have an impact on how many resources are allocated to high school. This is because enrollment information from the third year of junior high school (JHS 3) is used to predict costs at that level.
In a related development, the 2023 BECE results would be released in the second week of November and at the latest by the third week. This will be followed by the release of the school placements.
READ: Make checking of 2023 BECE and WASSCE results FREE: EduWatch To WAEC
SHS1 students are expected to report to school on December 4th to start their first semester of the 2023–2024 academic year.
Do you agree with Africa Education Watch that the GES can’t use school placement system as a punishment tool for JHS2 students who wrote 2023 BECE?
Let us know about your thoughts.
READ: Legal and ethical reasons why GES cannot punish JHS1 and 2 students who wrote 2023 BECE
As a concerned citizen and a firm believer in the importance of a fair and equitable education system, I believe that such a practice contradicts the principles enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees the right to equal educational opportunities for all citizens, without discrimination or punitive measures.
Using school placement as punishment not only undermines the fundamental rights of these young students but also hampers their educational progress and limits their chances of achieving academic success. It is essential to foster an environment where education is valued and supported, enabling every child to reach their full potential.
I trust that you will give this matter the attention it deserves and take appropriate steps to rectify the situation. I also kindly request that you keep me informed of any actions or decisions made regarding this issue.
I do agree with African education watch