The minister of education is urging Grade “A” schools to learn to accept children with low grades and help morph them into good students capable of passing the WASSCE.
That is the best way of assessing how good these schools are, according to Dr. Yaw Adutwum Asamoah.
The Minister noted that enrolling the highest performing Basic Education Certificate Examinaton (BECE) pupils and topping WASSCE rankings does not make them the finest schools. He was speaking at the launch of the University od Cape Coast at 60 celebrations in Cape Coast.
However, heclaims that accepting students with low grades and helping them pass the WASSCE will make these schools stand out.
“There are places where teachers are complaining. Why are you sending these students with an aggregate of 20 here? I had a conversation with a man who was very high up.
“He called me one day and said “Why are you sending student of aggregate 20 to Presec? And I said “I think Presec has one of the best groups of teachers in this country,” and he began.
“Yes, it’s true. That’s my school. They are examiners and they are very good”, the man said, according to Dr. Adutwum.
And I said “yes I know, and because they are the ones that are examiners and are very good, they are the ones who are prepared to teach those who have an aggregate 25 and so on.”
According to the minister, the notion that low performing students shouldn’t be enrolled to prestigious schools is rip-roaring. He believes that those students are the ones in need of strict grooming and therefore should be admitted to schools like Wesley Girls since they have committed teachers.
“ And so, if Wesley Girls wants to prove to me that they are the best, they have the best teachers, and they are the best school, they need to take in students with an aggregate of 20 and turn them around so they can tell me that they are better than my famous school, Jachie Pramso.”
He claims that when low graded schools admit low performing students and perform abysmally in the WASSCE, people tend to write them off. Yet, the Grade A schools get good students, top WASSCE rankings and get all the applause.
“Some students may not have seen Water Closet (WC) before, and I tell you, they are hungry for knowledge. They are of the view that the only future they have is and education, and when you bring them in, mentor them and guide them, they will be the best this nation has to offer. I never went to Mfantsipim, Adisadel and co. So, I found myself at Jachie Pramso and here I am,” he added.
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