Some teachers in the Accra metropolis are kicking against a compulsory ICT exam for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has sent sample questions on ICT to schools for candidates sitting this year’s exams in April but the teachers say it’s wrong to make ICT a compulsory paper this academic year.
In an interview with Joy News on Wednesday, the teachers said since most schools do not have the facilities and personnel to teach ICT, it should rather be optional.
“This is just a bomb-shell class yet the questions are technical. You just can’t use three months to do it,” one of the teachers complained.
Meanwhile the Ghana Education Service says it has not given approval for WAEC to begin the ICT exam this academic year.
Public Relations Officer Charles Parker-Allotey tells Joy News that although discussions are ongoing, it will be unfair to assess the students in ICT when ICT facilities have not been provided.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Schools can register BECE on-line
Schools in Ghana with internet connectivity can now register on-line for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) conducted by the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC).
This follows the introduction of an on-line registration procedure for the BECE last Monday after almost two decades of running the examination in the country.
The head of the Test Administration Department of WAEC, Mr Kweku Nyamekye-Aidoo, who made this known to Daily Graphic, said the on-line registration would be done alongside the old registration procedure (Batch Registration) which involved the registration of candidates in groups on Compact Discs.
He said the aim of the introduction of the on-line procedure was to ensure that core data of the candidates remained intact, thereby preventing the mixing up of candidate’s data. He said the Batch Registration was being done alongside the on-line registration to ensure that those who did not have the on line facility could do so, saying that the online registration was done by the schools of candidates and not individuals.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo indicated that all the information of candidates who would be writing the examination had to be on-line, and that the council would transfer the information of candidates who were registered through the Batch Registration, on-line.
He said there was no cause for alarm as the council undertook education programmes to educate school authorities on the new registration procedure.
He said information of candidates on-line would be for reading only, and that no one, no matter the access to the password of a school would be able to change any candidate’s information.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo said it was only at WAEC that a school that wanted to make a change to the bio-data of a candidate could do so.
He, therefore, advised parents and guardians to ensure that whatever information they provided on their children was accurate.
Mr. Nyamekye-Aidoo said “parents and guardians should state clearly how they want the names of their children spelt, in which order and provide their accurate date of birth”.
On the cost of registration per candidate, he said, the examination fee was GH¢6 as the government was paying GH¢14 per candidate as subsidy for each candidate, adding that schools must adhere strictly to the registration fee of GH¢6 and not add anything.
The Director of Basic Education Division of the GES, Mr Stephen Adu, urged heads of basic schools to spell out any additional fee for the registration of candidates and not lump all the fees as registration fees. He said there should be a breakdown of any fee, such as cost of photographs and extra tuition or extra mock examination should be made clear to parents. He added that such additional fees should be approved by a district education director.
Mr Adu said schools must make parents aware of the money (GH¢14) government was paying for each candidate since the original fee of the examination was GH¢20.
“Schools, be they public or private must give a clear break down of fees they are charging for the examination and not lump the registration fee of GH¢6 with other fees and term them as BECE examination fee,” he said.
This follows the introduction of an on-line registration procedure for the BECE last Monday after almost two decades of running the examination in the country.
The head of the Test Administration Department of WAEC, Mr Kweku Nyamekye-Aidoo, who made this known to Daily Graphic, said the on-line registration would be done alongside the old registration procedure (Batch Registration) which involved the registration of candidates in groups on Compact Discs.
He said the aim of the introduction of the on-line procedure was to ensure that core data of the candidates remained intact, thereby preventing the mixing up of candidate’s data. He said the Batch Registration was being done alongside the on-line registration to ensure that those who did not have the on line facility could do so, saying that the online registration was done by the schools of candidates and not individuals.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo indicated that all the information of candidates who would be writing the examination had to be on-line, and that the council would transfer the information of candidates who were registered through the Batch Registration, on-line.
He said there was no cause for alarm as the council undertook education programmes to educate school authorities on the new registration procedure.
He said information of candidates on-line would be for reading only, and that no one, no matter the access to the password of a school would be able to change any candidate’s information.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo said it was only at WAEC that a school that wanted to make a change to the bio-data of a candidate could do so.
He, therefore, advised parents and guardians to ensure that whatever information they provided on their children was accurate.
Mr. Nyamekye-Aidoo said “parents and guardians should state clearly how they want the names of their children spelt, in which order and provide their accurate date of birth”.
On the cost of registration per candidate, he said, the examination fee was GH¢6 as the government was paying GH¢14 per candidate as subsidy for each candidate, adding that schools must adhere strictly to the registration fee of GH¢6 and not add anything.
The Director of Basic Education Division of the GES, Mr Stephen Adu, urged heads of basic schools to spell out any additional fee for the registration of candidates and not lump all the fees as registration fees. He said there should be a breakdown of any fee, such as cost of photographs and extra tuition or extra mock examination should be made clear to parents. He added that such additional fees should be approved by a district education director.
Mr Adu said schools must make parents aware of the money (GH¢14) government was paying for each candidate since the original fee of the examination was GH¢20.
“Schools, be they public or private must give a clear break down of fees they are charging for the examination and not lump the registration fee of GH¢6 with other fees and term them as BECE examination fee,” he said.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
YPF-Ghana calls for Lasting Solution in Bawku
The Youth in Politics Foundation (Ghana), a non-governmental organization and a non-partisan group is seriously worried about insecurity and the lack of peace within the Bawku Municipality.
The situation at hand is alarming and it is also creating problems for the youth and elderly.
Insecurity in the municipality is holding back development and a sense of agency is needed to tackle the growing conflict to forestall lasting peace in the area.
Some have said Chieftaincy issues, Politics and some other deep seated tribal issues have contributed mainly to the escalating conflict in the area.
But, we believe as a youth group that, there must be first of all dialogue between the feuding parties. This we believe will bring on board chiefs, traditional rulers, tribal lords on a common platform to talk amicably about the consensus building.
We are humbly calling on the Government (Security Agencies), Political Parties, Muslim Leaders, Christian Leaders, Security Experts, and other CSOs/NGOs to put in their maximum efforts to forestall lasting peace in Bawku.
We welcome the decision by the Ministry of Interior to impose a curfew on the Municipality and its environs. But will this solve the problem?
We call on all parties involved in solving the escalating conflict to fast track the process of sustainable peace in the municipality before things really get out of hand. We are throwing a challenge to these various personalities in our country to let peace prevail in Bawku.
They are Bawkunaba, Asantehene, Ga Mantse, Togbe Afedzi, Okyehene, Okuapemanhene, Asante Manponhene, New Juabenhene and other stakeholders.
Signed
Mr. Fred Sarpong
(President)
About YPF- (Ghana)
The foundation was set up by a group of young media practitioners and a young civil engineer, who intend to help deepen Parliamentary Democracy in Ghana.
The objectives of the foundation are to:
Encourage the youth to engage in active Politics,
Educate the youth in the danger of violence in Politics,
Enlighten the youth in Parliamentary Democracy,
Equip the youth with the role of Parliamentarians in Parliamentary Democracy,
Facilitate the youth to engage in Parliamentary proceedings.
The situation at hand is alarming and it is also creating problems for the youth and elderly.
Insecurity in the municipality is holding back development and a sense of agency is needed to tackle the growing conflict to forestall lasting peace in the area.
Some have said Chieftaincy issues, Politics and some other deep seated tribal issues have contributed mainly to the escalating conflict in the area.
But, we believe as a youth group that, there must be first of all dialogue between the feuding parties. This we believe will bring on board chiefs, traditional rulers, tribal lords on a common platform to talk amicably about the consensus building.
We are humbly calling on the Government (Security Agencies), Political Parties, Muslim Leaders, Christian Leaders, Security Experts, and other CSOs/NGOs to put in their maximum efforts to forestall lasting peace in Bawku.
We welcome the decision by the Ministry of Interior to impose a curfew on the Municipality and its environs. But will this solve the problem?
We call on all parties involved in solving the escalating conflict to fast track the process of sustainable peace in the municipality before things really get out of hand. We are throwing a challenge to these various personalities in our country to let peace prevail in Bawku.
They are Bawkunaba, Asantehene, Ga Mantse, Togbe Afedzi, Okyehene, Okuapemanhene, Asante Manponhene, New Juabenhene and other stakeholders.
Signed
Mr. Fred Sarpong
(President)
About YPF- (Ghana)
The foundation was set up by a group of young media practitioners and a young civil engineer, who intend to help deepen Parliamentary Democracy in Ghana.
The objectives of the foundation are to:
Encourage the youth to engage in active Politics,
Educate the youth in the danger of violence in Politics,
Enlighten the youth in Parliamentary Democracy,
Equip the youth with the role of Parliamentarians in Parliamentary Democracy,
Facilitate the youth to engage in Parliamentary proceedings.
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