WAEC Explains BECE Grading System For Ghana Secondary Schools

Rev. Victor Brew, who oversees the West African Examinations Council’s legal division, has provided clarification on the Basic Education Certificate Examination’s grading scheme (BECE).

 

According to him, grades are determined by how well students perform at various schools. Students from different schools receive grades based on how well they achieve.

 

The first 4% range intended by the WAEC grading system may not be attained by children who may be the best in their schools because it is a nationwide competition, according to Rev. Victor Brew, who was speaking to Roselyn Felli on Prime Morning on Monday.

“It’s the grading system and also the performance of their candidates, because mind you, if you’re a local champion where you keep getting 80s, know that if someone else has been getting 99, then you pray that your 80 falls within the 4% otherwise, you’re going to get a grade 2, and that doesn’t mean you’re not good. You’re good, but others are better,” he explained.

 

He recommended school administrators to refrain from comparing cohorts within their institutions for the sake of the grading system variance because WAEC’s “Norm-Referenced Grading System” changes every year.

Furthermore, according to Rev. Victor Brew, grade 9 is the lowest and not a failure in the BECE system because the grading system is implemented in cooperation with the government.

 

Explaining how the grading system is done, he said, “If the first 4% are to get grade 1, what it means is that if you took mathematics, unlike English, someone can get 100% in mathematics. So, what happens is that your candidate or the champion of your school in math gets 80% during your mock trials or 89%, but then when you join forces with the candidates across the country, the question is whether your champion in math in your school can beat all the champions across the country such that your champion falls within the first 4%.”

 

Due to the possibility that a particular batch may not fall within the parameters of the national grading system for the year, he claimed that WAEC cannot be held responsible for the failure of applicants.

 

In the meanwhile, he believes that a coalition of candidates who receive a grade in every subject nationwide within a year will assist to inform policy-making and aid to improve the system.

 

Regarding the problem of certain candidates’ exams being canceled, he said it was done in accordance with the guidelines issued for the year groups prior to and during the exams.

 

Additionally, he has informed parents whose children’s documents have been revoked that they are eligible to file an appeal for comment.