A performance analysis of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, in the Volta Region has exposed a deep crisis in second cycle education, with five public Senior High Schools recording 0 percent pass in the four core subjects.
According to data presented by the Volta Regional Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service at a Capacity Building Workshop for School Leadership and Heads of SHS/SHTS, none of the candidates presented by the five schools obtained grades A1 to C6 in English Language, Core Mathematics, Integrated Science and Social Studies.
The affected schools are Kpeve Senior High Technical School with 117 candidates, Ave Senior High School with 150 candidates, Tanyigbe Senior High School with 179 candidates, Volta Senior High School with 35 candidates, and Akome Senior High Technical School with 206 candidates. All 687 candidates from these schools failed to qualify.
The report, which covered 68 public SHSs and a total of 26,544 candidates, shows that only 4,067 candidates qualified with passes in all four core subjects, representing an overall pass rate of 15.32 percent. This is the key requirement for progression to tertiary education.
Of the total candidates, 12,145 were males and 14,399 were females. 1,964 males qualified, representing 16.17 percent, while 2,103 females qualified, representing 14.61 percent.
A subject by subject breakdown further highlights the depth of the challenge, with Core Mathematics emerging as the worst performing subject. Only 6,618 out of 26,484 candidates passed Mathematics, representing 24.99 percent.
Integrated Science recorded a 35.93 percent pass rate with 9,512 out of 26,475 candidates passing, while Social Studies recorded 38.23 percent with 10,140 out of 26,527 candidates passing. English Language was the best performed subject with 60.50 percent, with 16,053 out of 26,536 candidates passing.
WASSCE grading in Ghana follows WAEC standards where grades A1 to C6 are considered credit passes required for tertiary admission, while D7 to F9 do not meet university entry cut off. This performance system operates alongside other structured education frameworks such as CSSPS which handles transparent computerised placement of BECE graduates into SHS, Free SHS policy that funds tuition and boarding to expand access, GES teacher deployment and supervision system that ensures quality instruction, and BECE grading that determines progression from basic to second cycle.
Education stakeholders in Volta Region have described the 15.32 percent overall pass rate as alarming, calling for urgent interventions in teacher capacity, learning resources and supervision of the affected schools including Kpeve, Ave, Tanyigbe, Volta SHS and Akome SHTS.
The Ghana Education Service says capacity building workshops for heads will continue to address learning gaps, particularly in Core Mathematics and Integrated Science which remain the weakest subjects in the region.
Source: #Howedey.com
Call or WhatsApp +233 20 2190 250 and share your story.
Author: Korkor Anumu
