A Trend Analysis of Junior High School Pupils’ Performance in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Ghana

Abstract

In recent times, parents and other stakeholders in the field of education have expressed worries regarding the poor performance of pupils in rural and public schools in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) compared to their counterparts in urban and private schools in Ghana. This study examines the performance trends of urban, rural, public and private Junior High Schools in the BECE over a 5-year period. The study made use of secondary data which reflected the indicators of pupils’ performance in the BECE. The data obtained were analysed using percentages, frequency counts, and time-series graphs. The findings of this research showed that the proportion of pupils who passed the BECE in rural schools were less than those who passed in the urban schools in Ghana. It was further observed that although the performance trends for both public and private schools were not so different for 2016, 2017, and 2018, more pupils in public than private schools passed the BECE. Based on the findings, the Ministry of Education and all relevant stakeholders in the area of education are encouraged to ensure equitable distribution of resources in terms of infrastructure, teaching and learning resources, adequate and competent teachers to both urban and rural schools to promote the enhancement of pupils’ performance in rural schools.