Nadowli/Kaleo Assembly Warns of Long-Term Impact of Poor BECE Results, Vows Action

The Nadowli/Kaleo District Assembly in the Upper West Region is deeply concerned about the sharp decline in learners' performance in the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE), a trend that is causing widespread apprehension among local education authorities and community leaders.

At a recent assembly session held in Nadowli, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mary Haruna, voiced strong dissatisfaction with the examination outcomes.

Official reports from the district education directorate reveal a troubling drop in the pass rate from 19.9% in 2023 to only 14% in 2024, signaling a steep decline that demands immediate and targeted interventions. "The persistent underperformance of our pupils is deeply concerning." She noted.

Madam Mary emphasized that this decline not only threatens the academic future of the district’s youth but also calls for urgent strategic actions to reverse the trend.

She urged stakeholders, including the Ghana Education Service (GES), school authorities, parents, and community leaders, to collaborate closely to address the underlying causes of the poor performance.

The DCE warned that without a concerted effort, the continual drop could have long-term detrimental effects on the district’s educational landscape and its socioeconomic development.

Adding further clarity, Mr. Adams Lamson, representing the District Director of Education, provided insight into the statistics. Insisting that, although 14% of candidates failed the BECE, a portion of the remaining students successfully gained admission to various Senior High Schools, reflecting some positive outcomes amidst the general poor results.

Mr. Lamson emphasized that the number of failures remains unacceptably high and should be viewed as a wake-up call rather than a reason for complacency.

Some assembly members from different electoral areas shared their concerns and called for decisive action. The Assembly member for Samatigu Electoral Area, Hon Millicent Zuuri, highlighted the critical need to invest in teaching quality and school infrastructure, noting that dilapidated facilities and staff shortages were major impediments to student success.

Similarly, the representative for Goriyiri Electoral Area, Nestor Mwintiribu, pointed out the importance of community involvement and parental support, stressing that education performance is a collective responsibility that requires consistent attention from all stakeholders.

"We have to be concerned about the record dance we keep having in our communities. Children even prefer to go for a record dance on the eve of examinations," he stated.

The Nadowli/Kaleo assembly resolved that due to the widespread nature of the failures, the issue would be referred to the District Education Oversight Committee (DEOC) for deliberation, as they believe it would proffer solutions to the abysmal BECE performance.

The downward trajectory in BECE results aligns with longstanding challenges facing the Upper West Region at large. Data from previous years reveal that the region has struggled with persistently low BECE pass rates, often below 50%, attributed to factors like limited teaching personnel, inadequate infrastructure, and high levels of interference in human resource management within schools.