The Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) in the Ahafo Region is expressing dissatisfaction with the West African Examination Council (WAEC) over its handling of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). The main concerns are the lack of engagement with key stakeholders and the new grading system, which hasn't been adequately explained to COHBS or Ghana Education Service (GES) directors ¹.

The COHBS chairman, Edwin Sarpong Boakye, is questioning the examination duration, pointing out that students are required to complete 10 subjects in just five days. He's urging WAEC to reconsider and allow candidates to write one subject per day.

WAEC has clarified that the Stanine grading system remains unchanged despite Junior High School curriculum updates. The system categorizes student performance into nine grades, with Grade 1 being the highest and Grade 9 the lowest. Critics argue that this system incentivizes cheating and penalizes high-achieving students ² ³.

The Stanine system is norm-referenced, meaning grades are influenced by the overall performance of candidates. This has sparked debate, with some arguing it's unfair and others defending it as a way to ensure consistency.



WAEC has emphasized that any changes to the grading system would require stakeholder discussions and official announcements. The Ghana Education Service (GES) ultimately holds the authority to decide on changes.