2022 Standardized test to include Private school pupils

The Education Minister, Dr. Adutwum, has disclosed that the Private school pupils and schools will take part in the 2022 Standardized test. The 2022 edition will be the second in the country, but the first for private schools.

2022 Standardized test to include Private school pupils: Reasons for the inclusion of private schools

The leadership of the various private schools in the country complained about the neglect of private schools during the maiden edition, which was administered to only pupils in public basic schools.

The inclusion of private schools follows concerns raised by the Ghana National Private Schools (GNAPS) and the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) of being left out of the first edition of the test.

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The 2021 NST was conducted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) in collaboration with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

The maiden Standardized test saw 431,206 candidates registered for both the English Language and the Mathematics test. This included 220,290 male and 210,916 female pupils.

While 398,698 pupils presented themselves in the English test, 32,508 were absent on the day the test was taken while 31,720 were absent during the Mathematics test.

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Speaking on the performance and date gathered from the examination, the Education Minister indicated that “In general, the performance of the pupils in English was fairly better than in Mathematics. That is, 50 percent of the pupils were below the basic level in English, while the other 50 per cent attained basic, proficient and advanced levels.”

“The findings also indicated that primary school pupils were seriously challenged in Mathematics.

Sixty-two per cent of the pupils were Below Basic level while the other 38 percent attained basic, proficient, and advanced,” Dr Adutwum said.

He added that the data available to the ministry offers a rare opportunity to the country as it will help the ministry of education to know what is going on in the various districts and schools.

“So, this is the first real opportunity; we have some data to begin to practice and support our students,” Dr. Adutwum said in response to a question on the kind of interventions that would be put in place.

The date for the 2022 Standardized test is yet to be made public by the Ministry of Education.