The stanine grading system used in the basic education certificate examination in Ghana: A critical assessment

Abstract

The thesis sought to establish an understanding of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) grading system and thus deciphering the mechanisms through which candidates’ final grades are determined. The study objective was realised through semi-structured interviews with ten test experts from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Ghana Education Service (GES), University of Cape Coast (UCC) and University of Education, (UE) Winneba. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed. The research revealed that, the stanine grading system used in grading BECE candidates is norm-referenced and one not suitable for both selection and certification. Secondly, an individual’s grade is determined not only by his/her achievements and efforts but also by achievements and efforts of his/her cohorts. This suggests that aggregate scores of candidates are not comparable between years and thus evaluating educational standards over time is impossible. It is therefore, recommended that Ghana joins the rest of the world by adopting a criterion-referenced system of grading at the basic level of her educational structure. It is further recommended that the Ministry of Education should define a National Minimum Standard (NMS) in the basic education system and incorporate same in the school curriculum.