By Mohamed Kamara
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education (MBSSE), Mr. David Moinina Sengeh has disclosed that over 108,000 pupils get university requirement for this year’s West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Mr.David Moinina Sengeh made this disclosure on Thursday 29th September 2022, during the Weekly Government Press Briefing organized by the Ministry of Information and Communication.
On his part, the Minister of Information and Communication, Mr. Rahman Swaray lauded the commitment of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio in support of the education sector of the country. He added that the commitment of President Bio in improving the education sector has earned the ruling SLPP Government global recommendations. He said in New York, president Bio’s committed to sustaining Education with an investment of a minimum of 20% of the national budget. He went on to say that His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has also committed that by 2030 the number of Out-Of-School children will be reduced. He further stated that His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has launched an alliance to ensure smooth learning process and to cut down the rate of learning poverty in half or more by 2030. He said the Free Quality Education (FQE) has saw parents saving tuition fees, adding that there are 3.1 million pupils that were given Mathematics and English books free of cost to all schools. He said government has also recruited many teachers with adequate trainings. He said Government has also increased teacher salaries three times in less than five years. Minister Swaray further stated that the ruling SLPP government also made available learning materials like past papers and other curriculum contents freely available to students using digital terminology.
“Government has built hundreds of Classrooms, Providing thousands of Furniture making schools a safer environment for learning,” he said, adding that, providing school buses to ensure the safety of pupils from home to school and from school to their respective homes. He added that, government has reviewed the Curriculum to better prepare pupils. He said that government has also engaged Students, Teachers, Parents and Communities in the provision of a more inclusive and equitable quality for all.
“WASSCE Candidates has increased in figures by 4769% in 2018-2022 reaching a record of 186, 698,” he said, stating further that, there are more female candidates than male sitting WASSCE throughout the years. He said, the pass rate for individual has climbed from 64% in 2021 to 77% in 2022. He said the bench mark 5 Credits in a single sitting has increased by 186.3% between 2018 and 2022. He said the top pupils for the 2022 Exams sat and passed all 8 subjects with an average grade of 1.63%.
He said English and Mathematics in a single sitting has increased in an amazing 1.78% over the period 2018-2022.
“In 2022, more than 108,000 pupils obtain University Requirements,” he concluded.
