Obuasi Tops BECE in Ashanti Region

Obuasi, Dec. 12, GNA - The Ashanti Regional ranking of this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) puts Obuasi Municipal on top of the 21 districts after recording a percentage pass of 97.9. This is the sixth time the municipality had topped in the Ashanti Region.

Mrs. Beatrice Boakye Ansah Prempeh, the Obuasi Municipal Director of Education, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that Amansie Central placed second with a percentage pass of 87.1. "Looking at the difference in the percentage pass between Obuasi and the second placed Amansie Central, one needs not to be told that the performance of the Obuasi Municipal is simply impressive", she said. Atwima-Nwabiagya and Kumasi Metro recorded percentages 84.0 and 82.2 to place third and fourth respectively.

Mrs. Prempeh said Amansie West had improved its performance from the 17th position with a percentage pass of 33.9 in 2002 to fifth position in 2006 and 2007 after scoring a percentage pass of 70.1 and 81.2 respectively.

"For a district like Amansie West to move from the 17th position in 2002 to fifth position in 2006 and maintain it this year shows that there is commitment on the part of all stakeholders in education and they should accept my commendation", Mrs. Prempeh said.

She said with regard to Obuasi's performance, her administration would ensure that head teachers and teachers were encouraged and motivated to "even improve upon the percentage pass to consolidate the first position in the subsequent years."

Mrs. Prempeh said the New Education Reform placed challenges on quality education delivery and expressed the hope that the teachers would rise up to the occasion.

She appealed to parents and other stakeholders to support the education improvement drive in the Municipality by providing the basic logistics to their children.

Mrs. Prempeh commended teachers in both public and private schools for their commitment to duty that had brought significant improvement in the BECE results.