Cut-off point for BECE 2020 is Aggregate 25, Candidates must sit up

Cut-off point for BECE is very important if students are to be serious. The 2020 BECE will commence June Monday, the 10^th of June and the cut-off point for access to Free SHS will be Aggregate 25 or better. Thus only candidates who distinguish themselves in the exams and obtain aggregate 25 or better will enjoy the Government’s Flagship Education Policy for Government Second Cycle Schools.

In 2018, there was an attempt by the government to ensure every BECE candidate gained admission to a government school which was a contributing factor to the double Tracking system to help accommodate the numbers.

Many candidates did not obtain the average grade of 15 nor the average raw score to warrant a secondary yet they were all made to go to school.

2020 BECE is going to be different as far as who qualifies and who does not qualify for government-sponsored Free SHS. All students who want to be placed are encouraged to learn and make the best mark.

Press Release on BECE 2020 Aggregate 25 Cut off point

There is a press release circulating on social media in this effect. The Ghana Education Service has requested that teachers, head teachers, parents and Guardians should advise their wards who are preparing for this year’s examination to study hard.

According to the press release purported to be coming from the Ghana Education Service, 50% of the 2018 BECE batch failed the national exams yet were enrolled in Senior High Schools under the Free SHS system.

The Ministry of Education and the GES in an attempt to ensure that the standard of the exams, its essence and the importance candidates attach to it does not dwindle, has compromised to introduce a cut-of-point of aggregate 25.

Thus, if a candidate fails to make the minimum grade of 25, he or she would not get the opportunity to go to the SHS to continue his or her education.

Why the BECE 2020 Aggregate 25 Cut-off point is good

This is a laudable idea because it will compel many candidates to sit up and learn to justify themselves. The idea that Free SHS is for everyone irrespective of whether you perform well or not must be halted or else, candidates will not take their books serious and we will be spending the taxpayer’s money on students who are not serious with their education.

Newsghana24.com can say with authority that there were several candidates who sat for the 2019 examination who were never serious with their studies. Many candidates who should be serious with their books, aim high to make good grades failed the exams. This must not be the case in 2020 hence whether Free SHS not, candidates must sit up, and be ready to burn the midnight oil.

We do not want to have millions flooding the Independence Square for self placement. Just start working hard now and set your own cut off point.

Our advice we continue to give is “Sit up, believe in yourself, and make a commitment to your books. Set your target as to what grade you want to make and work hard at it. Just assume that the cut-off point has even dropped to aggregate 20 and work at ensuring you don’t perform poorly.

What can we do to help our candidates?

Parents and guardians must continue to encourage their wards, inspire them to greatness so that their children will get the best preparation ahead of the examination.

Teachers, school authorities and schools must work hard to polish, refine and teach the candidates, make them ready for the impending examination so as to redeem the image of their schools and themselves.

Candidates need to be disciplined if they are going to do well. Discipline has always been the bed rock of education and the magic card of students who have excelled.

Truancy, lateness to school, absenteeism of form three students, increase in indiscipline among final year students all contribute to ultimate failure. This is the time to get serious with your books as the exams draws near.

Failure awaits those who are ill prepared for the exams, success is building momentum to meet the disciplined, hardworking student. If you dream of a better future for your ward, that JHS three student in your neighbourhood, that child who has the potential to excel yet has derailed, this is the time to get him or her back on track and focused.

The 2020 BECE is not going to be a walkover for lazy students, let us all encourage our BECE students in our homes, communities, and those we meet at the mosque and the church to up their studies for the upcoming examination. Let us inform them of the cutoff point and the need to study well to make the mark.

In a related development, WAEC has released a 12 digit BECE index numbering for the 2019 BECE