Social Studies Questions and Best Answers for BECE 2023
These Social Studies Questions and Best Answers for BECE 2023 aim at helping candidates prepare for the upcoming examination. The answers suggested are the best for answering the various questions.
Candidates and teachers should kindly make good use of them as they prepare.
Question 9
a. What are outmoded cultural practices?
Outmoded cultural practices are customs and traditions of a group of people in the society that have lost their usefulness and need to be changed or abolished. This means that, those cultures infringe upon the rights of the people and caused pain or discomfort to the people. They are against the normal living of the people. Some of the cultural practices are; tribal marks, Female Genital Mutilation, Trokosi system and many more.
b. List four examples of outmoded cultures in Ghana
i. Tribal marks
ii. Female genital mutilation
iii. Cruel widowhood rites
iv. Trokosi system
v. Witch camps
vi. Human sacrifice
c. Explain four effects of outmoded culture
The four effects of outmoded culture are below.
Firstly, human rights abuse is an effect of outmoded culture. Peoples rights are infringed during the practice of outmoded cultures. The people are passed through inhuman treatment which are against their will. Some of the cultures cause bodily pain to the people. Not only that but also, but also must people are denial freedom of movement and education. For instance, Trokosi system restrict the freedom of movement and right to education.
Also, female genital mutilation causes pains which may lead to death. As a result, the people who suffer from such abuse are left out in the society. In effect, these people are unable to sustain their lives and progress in the society. Rights of the people are abused due to outmoded cultural practices.
In addition, outmoded cultural practices causes health problems. People may get diseases from outmoded cultures. Due to unsterilized instruments used in the practice of outmoded cultural practices, sexual transmitted diseases may spread from one person to another. As they keep on using the same instruments on the people, sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS may be infested by the people. As a result, the infested people will be hospitalized. Consequently, the infested persons may die leading loss of man power of the nation. It is therefore a fact that outmoded cultural practices spread diseases.
Moreover, outmoded cultural practices leads low productivity of the country. The output level of the country could be reduce for practicing outmoded cultures. As people practice these cultures, they are denial the time and energy to work. This may reduce what they contribute to their workplace and the nation at large. Also, most people may die through contraction of diseases and physical pain. For instance, practices like widowhood rite expect the victims to stay indoors for some number of days. This may reduce their contribution to the output level in the country. As a result, the growth level of the country will be stagnated. In effect, there will be low savings and investments in the country. These would in turn raise the level of poverty in the country. Indeed, outmoded cultural practices reduces the productivity of the country.
Finally, outmoded cultural practices portrays the country negatively to the rest of the world. Outmoded cultural practices project the country badly. Some practices such as female genital mutilation, widowhood rites and trokosi system tell bad things to the world about the country. As we keep on doing these bad practices, the western countries such as USA, France and many more may not that us serious. This can be explained by the fact that, they see us for violating the rights of our citizens. As a result, most investors would refuse to come to the country to invest in profitable ventures in the country. In effect, the country’s development would slow down leading to increase in poverty levels of the people in the country. Our country Ghana is projected negatives due bad cultural practices of the people.
To conclude, outmoded cultural practices could lead to the abuse of human rights, spread of diseases, low productivity and negative projection of the country.
Social Studies Questions and Best Answers for BECE 2023
Question 10
a. State four benefits of superstition 8marks
- Superstition helps to protect and preserve the environment. Example taboos
- Superstition helps to control social and good morals
- Superstition brings about social cohesion and unity
- It helps to provide rest to people like fishermen, farmers, hunters, etc.
b. State four reasons for parallel culture 8marks
- Parallel culture promotes peaceful co-existence in the country
- Parallel culture helps the people in the country to enjoy freedom of worship
- Parallel culture promotes national integration in the country
- Parallel culture can help promote health care delivery in the country.
Social Studies Questions and Best Answers for BECE 2023
c. Outline four reasons why parallel culture is not necessary 8marks
- Parallel culture is too expensive
- Parallel culture is a waste of time
- Parallel culture is sometimes frustrating and difficult
- Parallel culture brings misunderstanding
d. Outline four aspects of foreign culture which have ben assimilated in Ghanaians. 8marks
- Foreign religion has been assimilated
- Ghana has assimilated foreign languages
- Most Ghanaians has assimilated foreign music
- Foreign marriage has been assimilated in Ghana
READ: BECE Social Studies Questions with Wrong and Correct Answers
e. State four reasons some societies develop faster than others 8marks
- Some societies develop faster than others due to cultural assimilation
- Some societies develop faster than others due to education
- Some societies develop faster than others due to investment in research
- Some societies develop faster than others because of their visionary leaders
Social Studies Questions and Best Answers for BECE 2023
f. State four reasons why people resist changes in their culture 8marks
- They resist the changes because the changes were not in line with their culture
- The people are of their gods and ancestors for the change
- People resist changes because they are ignorant
- People resist changes because they are simply conservatives which want to continue their tradition.