Ernest Ato Bentil, an educational technology consultant and WAEC examiner, has underscored the persistent challenges within Ghana’s education system, identifying weak foundations at the primary school level as a key contributor to poor performance at the Junior High School (JHS) stage.
Speaking on Connect FM’s *Omanbapa Morning Show*, Mr. Bentil shared a revealing personal experience from his time as an examiner: “As an examiner, you sometimes open an answer booklet only to find that the candidate has written nothing.”
He continued, recalling a particularly striking instance: “On one occasion, I opened the booklet of a female candidate and found a note that simply said, ‘I’m a beautiful girl,’ along with her phone number.”
Bentil explained that this situation was indicative of a larger issue: “Such a student seems to be expecting the examiner to call her for some sort of negotiation. However, WAEC’s rules are clear on this: the examiner cannot engage with students in this way. The fact is, the student had not prepared for the exam, despite having been in the classroom for years.”
He emphasized that these issues stem from a much earlier stage in the education system. “The root of the problem lies in the foundation. Our current education system suffers because students' early education is not strong enough to support their later years,” Bentil said.
He further elaborated: “Most of the challenges our students face at the JHS level are a result of weaknesses at the upper primary level. Many of the topics covered at JHS are introduced in upper primary. JHS is meant to build upon this foundation, but if students don’t have a solid grasp of the primary-level content, they cannot catch up during their three years at JHS.”
Bentil concluded by stressing the need to strengthen the foundation of education in Ghana, particularly at the primary level, to ensure better outcomes for students at the Junior High School stage.
Source: MyNewsGh.com
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