BECE is barrier to education - Paa Kow Ackon

Director of Communications for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Paa Kow Ackon, has debunked claims by the head of West African Examination Council that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is a good foundation for education.

According to Mr. Ackon, rather the BECE was a barrier to Senior High Schools (SHS).

Speaking on Eezy FM’s morning show programme yesterday, the PPP director of communications noted that there were lots of problems in the country’s education system which needed the immediate attention of the council.

“This is because WAEC is using a grading system which discriminates against most students and as much determines the number of students who should pass, and are therefore needed by the various senior high schools across the country,” he said.

He added, “there are schools in the Northern Region with no lights, improper computer and science labs, children who have to travel miles to fetch water… how do you expect them to sit and write exams with students from the city pass”?

He advised the council to research into the underlying factors and causes of these problems and try to resolve them rather than hiding behind BECE.

He explained that there were some students who will not perform well in BECE however, become brilliant when they further their education.

Mr. Ackon was therefore of the view that students should be allowed to enter into the senior high schools without writing BECE.

He urged the council to do all it can to solve the challenges being faced by students across the country to enable them go through the education system smoothly.