In a revealing Facebook post, Mr Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of EduWatch, unveiled the intricacies of the grading system employed by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The Stanine grading system, as explained by Mr. Asare, sheds light on how candidates’ performance is evaluated and assigned grades after the BECE.
Mr. Kofi Asare disclosed that the Stanine grading system utilized by WAEC for BECE results is norm-referenced, signifying that the grading structure is pre-determined.
Under this system, the percentage of candidates who will attain Grades 1 through 9 is virtually fixed, implying that candidates must meet specific criteria to fall within these predefined percentage brackets.
Unveiling the Stanine Percentages
Mr. Asare further expounded on the Stanine grading distribution, highlighting the percentage of candidates that can achieve each grade:
- Only 4% of candidates can attain Grade 1.
- Only 7% of candidates can attain Grade 2.
- Only 12% of candidates can attain Grade 3.
- 4% will consistently receive Grade 9.
BECE Grading System: The Raw Scores
Mr. Asare illustrated the complexity of the Stanine system with an example: even if a candidate achieves 90% in Mathematics, they might still be categorized within the second 7% (Grade 2) due to the performance distribution of their peers.
This emphasizes that achieving a high raw score may not guarantee a specific grade if the predetermined distribution of grades is already occupied.
Mr. Asare emphasized that being the top student in a school might not necessarily secure Grade 1. However, students who consistently perform at a Grade A level can have more confidence in their projected grades. EduWatch’s recommendation is for BECE results to be accessible before school selection, enabling students and parents to make informed decisions.
The discussion brought to light by EduWatch underscores the importance of having BECE results available prior to school selection.
Such transparency ensures that students and parents can select schools based on accurate information, optimizing the potential for students to excel within their chosen institutions.
As the education system evolves, advocating for timely results releases and informed decision-making becomes essential for the betterment of students’ academic journeys.
How to Calculate BECE Grades
The best grade in BECE is aggregate six(6), and the ending grade is aggregate thirty(30)
- The BECE Grades are calculated using the 6 best subjects from your BECE results.
- The 3 best core subjects (Maths, English, Inter-Science, or Social) and your 3 best elective subjects, Mathematics and English, are compulsory core subjects. So you should select either science or social studies when calculating.
Below is an example of a candidate’s BECE grades. We will use these grades as an example for calculating our BECE results.
BECE Grades
- ENGLISH LANGUAGE 3
- SOCIAL STUDIES 1
- REL.& MORAL EDUC. 1
- MATHEMATICS 4
- INTEGRATED SCIENCE 2
- INFO. & COMM.TECH. 2
- FRENCH 2
- B.D.T./HOME ECONS. 4
How To Calculate BECE Results
- Select the best core from English, Mathematics, and Social Studies = 3+4+1 = 8
- Select the 3 best elective subjects ( RME, ICT, and French ) =1 +2+2 = 5
- Now, add your scores from all these subjects for English + Mathematics + Social Studies + I.C.T + R.M.E, + French = 3+4+1+1+2+2 = 13
- Finally, your BECE Grades should be the total of the marks above. That is an aggregate of 13.
BECE Grades for School Placement
Candidates who get above the aggregate of 30 may have difficulties getting into their school of choice. The pass BECE Grades for School Placement is from aggregate 6 to aggregate 30.
