Government will from 2018/19 academic year absorb 100 percent of registration fees of candidates who will undertake the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Presenting the 2018 budget statement themed ‘Putting Ghana back to work’, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta said, “in fulfilment of government’s promise to make basic education free and ensure participation by all, the Capitation Grant was increased by 100 percent from GH¢4.50 per capita to GH¢9.00”.

“I am happy to announce that there will be a further increase to GH¢10.00 in 2018 under this government.”

Government absorbed 70 percent of the 2017 BECE registration fees as subsidies for all registered candidates in both public and private Junior High Schools (JHS).

Mr Ofori-Atta announced that from next year, the Education Ministry will begin the infrastructural works towards the introduction of the Basic Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (BSTEM) programme in all basic schools.

He explained that the initiative is intended to strengthen the foundational skills and generate interest in mathematics, science and technology.

This will involve the provision of equipment to over 38,000 public basic schools, training over 38,000 basic school teachers in the delivery of BSTEM and the establishment of 10 well-equipped Regional BSTEM centers.

“To improve the quality of basic education and equip the Ghanaian child with basic literacy, numeracy and critical thinking skills, the Ministry of Education commenced the process for the review of the basic level curriculum to emphasize the 4 R’s (Reading, wRriting, aRithmetic and cReativity),” he said.

In 2018, the Ministry will complete the curriculum reforms and define national pupil standards in literacy, numeracy and creativity. In addition, the common national assessment system will be implemented to measure pupil achievement against set benchmarks.