Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum
Top grades for West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results this year have reached a record high, with more than 60% of candidates obtaining Al-C6 in all Core Subjects – English Language, Integrated Science, Mathematics and Social Studies.
The results of the 2023 examination, according to a trend analysis of the aggregate percentage passes, are the best in nine (9) years, 5.79% higher than last year when 63.94% achieved top grades.
The Al-C6 are the grades that are required for a student to qualify for admission into a tertiary institution in Ghana.
Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr. Eric Nkansah, said the aggregate percentage passes in Al-C6 from 2015 to 2023 in the four Core Subject areas show a general improvement in performance, “with the past five years’ performance seeing a tremendous jump with an average of 60% and above.”
“It is important to note that the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 candidates are Free SHS students and the 2023 results are the best in nine years,” he told DAILY GUIDE in an interview yesterday.
Performance Statistics
Dr. Nkansah disclosed that for the first time in many years, the percentage of candidates obtaining grade A1-C6 in English Language witnessed a quantum jump from 60.39% to 73.11%.
In 2015, the percentage of candidates obtaining grade A1-C6 in English Language was 45.2%, while the year 2016 saw 51.6%.
For this year, the percentage of candidates obtaining grade A1-C6 in Integrated Science hit 66.82% from 62.45% in 2022, while candidates obtaining grade A1-C6 in Mathematics hit 62.23% from 61.39% in 2022.
In 2015, the percentage of candidates obtaining grade A1-C6 in Integrated Science was 28.7%, whereas 48.35% was recorded for 2016.
For Mathematics, 32.4% was recorded in 2015, whilst 33.12% was recorded in 2016.
This year, the percentage of candidates obtaining grade A1-C6 in Social Studies is 76.76% from 71.51% in 2022, whereas 2015 recorded 57.4% and 2016 recorded 54.55% for the same subject.
In all, a total number of 448,674 candidates made up of 212,453 males and 236,221 females from 975 schools entered for the examination.
This figure is 5.8% higher than the 2022 entry figure of 422,883. A total number of 3,404 (0.75%) were absent from the examination.
Performance Attributions
The GES Director General said the higher grades recorded for the last five years are attributed to adequate preparation, proper monitoring, availability of core textbooks and professional learning development of teachers.
“The Free SHS programme comes with its own benefits. The moment school reopens students are in class without having to think about school fees.
“Students are having optimum instruction time. The Government has provided all core textbooks and students are exposed to the examiner’s report,” Dr. Nkansah stated.
According to him, the Professional Learning Community (PLC) is normally organised and teachers are brought together to share ideas.
“GH¢65 million is also shared to teachers to motivate them, while monitoring has been intensified to ensure that teachers teach in line with curriculum,” Dr. Nkansah said.
By Ernest Kofi Adu