- BECE to be replaced by entrance exams for SHS.
- Free Secondary Education bill provides government funding.
- Junior High School reclassified as lower secondary level.
- Compulsory secondary education makes BECE certificate unnecessary.
Ghana’s Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has made a significant announcement regarding the future of basic level education in the country. Dr. Adutwum revealed that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be replaced by entrance exams for students transitioning to Senior High School (SHS).
Dr. Adutwum emphasized the importance of completing Senior High School in the 21st century, stating that certificate exams will be taken at this level, not at the Junior High level. The Minister explained that the Free Secondary Education bill provides for government-funded resources to ensure free quality secondary education for all children.
Under this bill, Junior High School will be classified as lower secondary and will no longer be part of basic schools, effectively giving Ghana a six-year secondary education system. Dr. Adutwum noted that lower secondary schools can operate separately but will offer equal opportunities for learning as senior high schools.
He stated that making secondary education compulsory eliminates the need for the BECE as a certificate exam. The Minister also responded to recommendations from Africa Education Watch to include a compulsory subject on basic practical agriculture in the SHS curriculum reform.
Dr. Adutwum suggested that this could be part of the lower secondary curriculum, exposing students to agriculture and helping them decide to pursue it further in upper secondary school. This reform aims to provide a more comprehensive and inclusive education system, preparing students for success in the 21st century.
