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Akufo Addo’s 2016 WASSCE results figures inaccurate

By Emmanuel Nkansah Abankwah Last updated Jan 9, 2025 0

In his final State of the Nation Address on January 3, 2025, President Nana Akufo-Addo highlighted the progress made in Ghana’s education sector during his administration.

A key point of his address was the improvement in student performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) since the introduction of the Free Senior High School (SHS) program in 2017.

However, a review of the figures he cited for the 2016 WASSCE results reveals slight inaccuracies.

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The president underscored significant gains in the pass rates of Ghanaian students in the core subjects:

English: Pass rates increased from 51.6% in 2016 to 69.52% in 2024.
Integrated Science: Pass rates rose from 48.35% in 2016 to 58.77% in 2024.
Mathematics: A remarkable jump from 33.12% in 2016 to 66.86% in 2024.

Official data from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for 2016 indicates slight variations from the president’s claims and here are the accurate figures::

English: 53.19% passed (1.6 percentage points higher than the president’s claim of 51.6%).
Integrated Science: 48.48% passed (0.15 percentage points higher than the president’s figure of 48.35%).
Mathematics: 32.8% passed (0.32 percentage points lower than the president’s stated 33.12%).

Although the discrepancies in the president’s remarks are minimal, they underscore the importance of presenting accurate data in official addresses. Such details are critical for fostering public trust and ensuring informed discourse on national progress.

President Akufo-Addo’s address highlighted the success of the Free SHS initiative, which has expanded access to secondary education for thousands of Ghanaian students.

The significant improvements in pass rates for 2024 results, such as 69.52% in English, 58.77% in Integrated Science, and 66.86% in Mathematics, underscore the program’s impact on educational outcomes.

The data presented below is from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), a public statutory authority dedicated to improving all Ghanaian students’ learning experiences and results by establishing world-class curriculum, assessment, and reporting standards.

The administration’s investments in infrastructure, teacher training, and educational resources have played a pivotal role in achieving these outcomes.

While the inaccuracies in the 2016 data may seem minor, they emphasise the need for precision in public communication.

President Akufo-Addo’s tenure has undoubtedly seen strides in education, and accurate representation of past data ensures that the narrative of progress remains credible and undisputed.

Source: ghana.dubawa.org