Seventy-five eligible final year students in the Ellembele District can now take a sigh of relief, write their exams with ease and pass successfully following an empowerment training Tullow Ghana Limited has given them. As part of a two-day Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) orientation seminar and Science clinics held for them ahead of their exams, some fears and misconceptions the candidates had concerning the BECE had been addressed.
Ms Sadia Ibrahim a final year student of Sanzule Krisan Junior High School said: “Am now ready for my exams and am confident I will pass with flying colours because through this engagement, all my fears have been conquered, on behalf of my colleagues and I, we thank Tullow Ghana Limited and Youth Bridge Foundation for the education.”
The Seminar forms part of efforts Tullow Ghana Limited and Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), are putting in place to improve the performance of students in the core subjects of Science and Mathematics at the BECE and West African Secondary Certificate Examination (WASCE) level in the next three years by 50 per cent under the Educate To Innovate With STEM Project. It is also the fourth segment in the six in a series of District roadshow being taken place in the Western Region by the two bodies.
With this, some worrying questions ranging from candidates being allowed to use handkerchiefs in the exams hall, graph sheets being provided to students, candidates having access to drawing board, prescribed shoes expected to be worn by students as well as the consequences a candidate or school faces when a student is involved in an examination malpractice were addressed by some West African Examination Council (WAEC) Officials, through the seminar. The project is funded by Tullow Ghana Limited and implemented by YBF, a youth focused group with interest in bridging gaps for positive development.
Addressing the challenges and answering the questions of these candidates, Mr Israel Abanga, the Examination Officer of the Ellembele Municipality, also explained the mode of operation of Item Differential Profile used by the WAEC in marking objectives answers to the candidates.He also advised candidates not to cheat in their upcoming exams.
Mr Bernard Mush, the STMIE Coordinator for Ellembele District, advised the candidates to take Mathematics and Science seriously in order to be able to pursue careers in oil and gas.
Mr Paul Quarshie, the Human Resource Officer of the Ghana Education Service, encouraged students to take their studies seriously and tap into the high spring in the mining, oil and gas industries in the Ellembele District to upgrade themselves.
The candidates took some practical lessons at Nkroful Senior High School, which was renovated by Tullow Ghana Limited.Among the practicals taken in Physics were Basic Electronics series and Para Connection Practicals; Chemistry; Acid Base and Salts Reactivity Series and for Biology, they had food test where they tested for Carbohydrates, Protein reducing Sugar as well as Test in Photosynthesis.
The candidates also had a mentorship and orientation session to empower themselves and for their up-coming exams scheduled for June 4 to June 8.The beneficiary candidates were drawn from Asanta Seventh Day Adventist Junior High School (JHS), Essiama Methodist JHS and Sanzule Krisan JHS.They were made up of 40 males and 35 females, representing 54 per cent for males and 46 per cent for females respectively.
By Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA