Adutwum proposes subject resits, transcript system for secondary schools

Former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has proposed reforms to Ghana's education system that would allow students to resit individual subjects or repeat a class if they fail. The changes aim to help students who struggle to meet the requirements for tertiary education due to poor grades in key subjects. Under the proposed system, students' academic performance would be recorded throughout their time in school, rather than relying solely on final examination results.

This information would be reported to a WAEC portal, providing a clearer picture of students' performance over time.

Dr Adutwum explained that this system would give the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) access to students' academic records, enabling early identification of students struggling in specific subjects. If a student fails a subject, they would have the opportunity to resit, similar to the university system. Currently, students can accumulate poor grades in a subject without receiving adequate intervention and progressing to the next form without addressing their weaknesses.

Dr Adutwum believes that a transcript system would make interventions to help struggling students more effective by identifying them early enough. He emphasized that schools should engage parents in the decision-making process regarding a student's potential repetition, discussing their academic difficulties and outlining intervention plans.

If those interventions prove unsuccessful, repetition should remain an option. Dr Adutwum maintained that schools have the authority to repeat students when necessary, in the best interest of the child.