Post a comment 
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has launched a high-priority initiative aimed at addressing the persistent decline in English Language performance in the West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Officials described the consistent underperformance as a critical challenge affecting national educational outcomes. The intervention was unveiled following a two-day summit that brought together education stakeholders, including teachers, policymakers, and traditional leaders.
The Ministry noted that years of stagnant or declining English results highlighted the need for a fundamental restructuring of teaching, management, and resourcing practices for senior secondary schools across the country.
The MBSSE initiative is structured around three strategic pillars designed to reverse the downward trend:
Pedagogy: The Ministry will implement specialized teacher training programs aimed at transforming classroom instruction.
The focus will shift from rote memorization to enhancing reading comprehension, critical writing skills, and the systematic use of the 2026 curriculum lesson plans.
Admission: New criteria will ensure that students entering senior secondary schools possess the necessary literacy foundation. Officials explained that aligning student capabilities with placement requirements is intended to reduce the learning gaps that often impede performance in English by the WASSCE.
Resources: Schools will receive targeted English Language materials, including updated Pupils’ Handbooks and digital revision tools specifically aligned with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination format.
Acknowledging the importance of societal involvement, the Ministry engaged traditional leaders to support enforcement of student attendance and cultivate a culture of reading within communities. Officials emphasized that improving literacy requires coordinated efforts between schools, homes, and community leadership.
The initiative is especially timely as the 2026 WASSCE will assess the first cohort under the new transition curriculum, which includes 37 approved subjects. English Language remains a core subject essential for higher education eligibility.
The Ministry warned that delays in implementing these reforms could compromise the effectiveness of the new curriculum due to persistent literacy challenges. District-level monitoring teams are scheduled to begin assessments next month to evaluate the integration and impact of the three strategic pillars in schools.
