The 2020 BECE results I obtained proved that the changes I made to my BECE preparation paid off, and I believe anyone can repeat the same strategies to excel in any examination.
But it was not all a good and interesting story.
Three years ago, no teacher in my Junior High School believed I was good enough to pass the BECE. My parents had lost hope in me because my results from Primary 6 to JHS2 were very bad each term.
I remember my mum wept one day when my dad said he will not invest in my education any longer and threatened to ensure I didn’t go to SHS. According to him, it will be waste of time and money.
Hmmm, I broke down when I saw tears flood her face. Everyone wanted the best for me, but I was not in the mood to make it happen and everything that took place on the day my mum wept, and my dad vowed not to invest in my education became the turning point.
After the release of the 2020 BECE results, I checked. I obtained 8 ones and had 3 in French.
Some people thought my result was not real, but after the above sad incident, I vowed to change my story and that led to serious changes in my attitude toward my studies.
Below, I share the things I did to succeed, and I trust you will do the same.
1. Discipline – I started to cultivate a habit of discipline at home and in school. “If you want to do well in your BECE, be disciplined and sit to learn” These were the very words, our head teacher used to echo every time he had the opportunity to address students in the school. Some BECE candidates once they enter form three become very disrespectful and indisciplined. No advice makes sense to them, and they do not follow basic school and home rules. If you are in JHS3 or in JHS, do well to embrace discipline because you will need it. Making the choice to sit and learn instead of watching too much television, for instance, demands self-discipline. To score good grades or to score 8-ones in the BECE, you need to develop self-discipline, and you cannot substitute it for anything.
Getting to school early each day is discipline, learning on a regular basis is discipline, doing your home mock is discipline, and revising your notes demands discipline.
8 things I did to score 8 ones in 2020 BECE
2. Being punctual at school
Teachers in school have their work planned out, and each day they complete important sections of the entire term’s lesson. Skipping class and being absent from school was a bad habit I had cultivated. I decided to stop dodging lessons, especially Mathematics and French. I made sure I was present for all lessons. This helped me to learn and understand what our teachers dedicated time and effort to teach. They helped in preparing for the BECE.
3. Got Committed to the study
As a BECE candidate or a JHS3 student, time is never on your side. You must be very committed to your studies when you get to form 3. Do your best to learn and do your assignments, and have time to study on your own as well. I did this and it helped me. Each time I studied on my own, I wrote down questions I had issues with and sought help from my teachers. If you fail to learn, you will not be able to ask important questions for clarity.
4. Solved past BECE Questions
Get past questions to solve, these can be BECE or previous mock questions of your seniors and those administered by your school. Get those from other schools and friends as well, and attempt them under examination conditions.
5. Solved all mock questions after each mock
Another thing I did was to solve all questions asked in a given mock after the mock week. I did this because I noticed that, I selected questions I could solve or attempt during the mock. The ones I did not choose, I tried to solve them after the mock. I check the questions out and seek help so that I am not taken by surprise in the main examination.
6. Sought help from subject teachers
My subject teachers were also helpful in that, I was seeking their help for further explanations when I did not understand something. Most students do not do this and that does not help them in their preparation. You can, for instance, solve a past question and send the solution and the questions to the teacher to mark and grade for you. They will gladly do it. The more you do this, the better you are likely to become.
7. Mastered how to solve exam questions
It is one thing to learn and know the facts, and it is another to answer questions in the manner the examiner wants them. Each subject and question structure has ways they are solved. Check past papers which come with answers to know the approaches. Ask your teachers to teach you how to answer the questions. Do well to put their suggestions into practice in your next examination or mock.
8. Worked on my weak subjects and topics
Most often, students keep working on their favourate subjects. I realized that I had issues with Mathematics and French, so I gave these two subjects more attention, and I was committed to studying them. Every subject is very important. Do your very best to develop an interest in each of them and have a positive attitude toward them.
READ: A Comprehensive Guide to Answering BECE English Language Objective Questions
Bonus Idea
When you get to form three, do your best to start revising your Form 1 and Form 2 Lessons or notes. Do not wait until the examination is closer and d your best to create a personal timetable to aid your study at home. When you learn, teach others, for this helps you to understand it better and keep the facts in memory easily.
These above are the exact 8 things I did to score 8 ones in the 2020 BECE. Take action and also do the same.