BECE students urged to prioritise science courses in SHS selection
The Ministry of Education (MoE) following the ongoing selection of second-cycle schools by students who sat for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination has urged BECE graduates to prioritise science courses in their selection.
“The Ministry of Education is urging all first-year Senior High School students and their parents to prioritize the selection of science courses as the 2023 school selection and placement process has commenced,” it said in a release.
The science courses the Ministry said form part of a strategic plan for 2018-2030, which aims at achieving a balanced 60/40 enrollment ratio for science (STEM) and arts and humanities at the tertiary level, currently standing at 40/60.
In the release copied to AcademicWeek, it said “Over 300 state-of-the-art laboratories have been constructed and refurbished nationwide in the second cycle institutions, representing a significant enhancement to the quality of science education.
The Ministry further wishes to assure students, guardians, and the general public that additional vacancies have been created specifically for science courses to accommodate students interested in pursuing a science-based education.”
In a related development, the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has urged parents to sign the school selection form after their wards have selected their preferred second-cycle schools for computer placement.
An official of the Education Service in a discussion with AcademicWeek said the school selection form must not be submitted by a 2023 BECE graduate without consent, thus it must be signed by a student’s parent or guardian.
“This form must not be submitted without consent of parent or guardian and must be validated by the headteacher. Parents of the students are to take a keen interest in the 2023 second cycle school selection process,” he said.
A total of 600,714 candidates, comprising 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 Junior High Schools (JHSs0 sat for the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) which ended on Friday, August 11, 2023.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) amid low entries in registration of BECE for Private Candidates this academic year conducted both the 2023 BECE for School and BECE for Private Candidates simultaneously.
The number of candidates that registered for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School according to the non-profit-making organization (WAEC) is 8.8% higher than the 2022 entry figure of 552,276.
With regard to the 2023 BECE for Private Candidates, a total entry figure of 1,743 candidates was recorded. This is made up of 889 males and 854 females. This year’s figure is 5.4% higher than the entry figure of 1,132 for 2022.
