Angel Carbonu calls for urgent focus on public basic schools over declining English performance

Former National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) President Angel Carbonu is urging the attention and funding of public basic schools to counter the downward trend in English language performance among students. This comes after the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) showed a continuous decrease in the proportion of students scoring A1 to C6 in English Language, dropping from 73.11% in 2023 to 62.40% in 2026.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) attributes the decline to poor reading habits, grammatical mistakes, and the overuse of informal language on social media. Although overall WASSCE results improved in 2026, English Language faced a decline. Speaking on Channel One TV's The Point, Carbonu pointed to the emphasis on senior high school education as a potential cause, arguing that more resources and focus should be placed on basic education, particularly literacy and numeracy, as they form the base of the education system.

He urged the government to improve infrastructure, provide necessary learning materials, and motivate teachers to deliver effectively. Carbonu questioned the level of English, literacy and numeracy proficiency among primary school students by the time they reach Class Four, stating that these are the foundations of education. He emphasized that students struggling with English and Mathematics at the basic school level may continue to face difficulties in senior high school.

Carbonu described the poor teaching and learning outcomes in English and Mathematics as a long-standing issue that requires consistent investment and attention, rather than temporary solutions. He believes that addressing the foundation issues in basic education would reduce the workload of senior high schools, which often have to deal with foundational learning gaps in students.

According to Carbonu, ensuring pupils develop strong literacy and numeracy skills before advancing to the second-cycle level would ultimately enhance learning outcomes throughout the education system.