Shama, Jan 12, GNA -Wholesale promotion, the lack of parental control, the absence of role models and teenage pregnancy have been identified as some of the factors responsible for the low standards of education and poor performance of BECE candidates in the Shama district of the Western Region. Participants at an education forum organised by the Shama District Assembly cited the poor reading and writing habits among Junior High School students, poor preparation towards the BECE exams and the larger sizes of pupils in a class due to inedaquate infrastructure as other areas of concern.

The education forum brought together teachers, chiefs, members of the district assembly, youth groups and opinion leaders, among others, to find solutions to the massive decline in the performance of BECE candidates, particularly in the period 2007-2009 which ranged between 30 per cent and 33 per cent.

Mrs Hellen Bogobley, headmistress of the Aboadze-Abuesi JHS B school, said the 30 per cent score line by schools in the district could only be improved if government did something about the wholesale promotion system. "In my school for example, there are about 75 to 80 pupils in a class", she said, and called for the provision of additional classrooms to enable greater concerntration and absorption.

Mrs Florence Inkoom, Acting Director of Education, who gave a comparative analysis of the results for 2007-2009 said out of the 1,498 candidates presented by the district, only 505 scored between grade six to 30 amounting to 33.7 per cent.

In 2008, only 482 out of the 1,465 candidates representing 32.9 per cent had passes, while in 2009, 576 passes were recorded out of 1,689 candidates also accounting for 33.9 per cent. Mrs Inkoom therefore urged all stakeholders in education in the area to step up their efforts in promoting quality education, adding "we all have a role to play to avert the situation". Professor Araba Apt, Dean of Academic Affairs at Ashesi University College, and a native of the area who was disappointed by the results, noted the need for parents to take the education of their children, particularly the girlchild, seriously. Ms Emelia Arthur, Shama District Chief Executive, noted that the Assembly would soon train and resource the unit committee members in the various communities to enable them to carry out their functions. "The Assembly has also initiated a district mock examination programme as well as collective teachers motivation package to encourage teachers in the area to give of their best", she added. Ms Arthur noted that a tour to some schools showed the deplorable nature of school buildings which did not encourage teaching and learning, and said the assembly would soon put up new structures to meet the education needs of the area.