The Upper East Region has witnessed a significant decline in pass rates for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) across the four core subjects, according to the “Access to Quality Basic and Secondary Education in Ghana 2000-2023” report, a joint assessment by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The report, which tracks BECE pass rates from the 2002/03 to the 2020/21 academic years, highlights a troubling downward trend in student performance.
In Core English, the pass rate stood at 54.8% in the 2002/03 academic year, peaked at 89.1% in 2004/05, but steadily declined to 40.1% by 2010/11. By 2020/21, the pass rate had slightly improved to 48.6%.
For Mathematics, the region recorded a 58.3% pass rate in 2002/03, which increased to 73.1% in 2004/05 and 75.0% in 2007/08. However, performance dropped sharply to 42.8% in 2008/09, reaching its lowest point at 37.5% in 2010/11. Between 2015/16 and 2020/21, the average pass rate for Mathematics stood at 53.9%.
Science results fluctuated over the years. The pass rate was 58.2% in 2002/03 before decreasing to 52.2% the following year. It peaked at 75.7% in 2007/08 but dropped again to 50.7% by 2010/11. By 2020/21, the pass rate remained at 50.7%, reflecting ongoing inconsistencies in student performance.
Similarly, Social Studies pass rates showed considerable variation. The region recorded 59.2% in 2002/03, which declined to 49.0% the following year. A notable improvement was seen in 2004/05 at 70.8%, but the pass rate later dropped to 42.9% in 2010/11. The highest pass rate occurred in 2007/08 at 74.7%, but by 2020/21, it had fallen back to 42.9%.
Regional comparisons and underlying challenges
The report also compares regional performance, noting that the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Bono regions consistently achieved the highest pass rates in both BECE and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), reflecting relatively better learning outcomes. In contrast, the Northern, North East, and Savannah regions recorded some of the lowest pass rates, though the North East Region performed the best in BECE among these areas.
According to the report, regional disparities in education outcomes align with broader challenges faced by many African countries in providing equitable access to quality education. Despite efforts to improve education, factors such as inadequate infrastructure, gender inequality, and poverty continue to hinder student performance, particularly in middle- and low-income regions like the Upper East.
These challenges highlight the urgent need for targeted, data-driven policy interventions to address regional disparities in both access to and the quality of education across Ghana. The findings also emphasize the importance of continuously assessing educational policies and implementing long-term strategies focused on inclusivity and sustainability, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Read the statement in full below:
Report by Mark Smith for Asaase News in the Upper East Region
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