Every year, thousands of children in Ghana sit for the BECE under fear, pressure, and exhaustion.
For many families, five days of exams seem to decide a child’s future. But we must ask an honest question:
Has the BECE become more about passing exams than preparing children for life?
Today, learners sit for nearly 10 subjects mainly for SHS placement.
That may have worked years ago when education focused on producing memorizers and office workers. But this is 2026, not 1996.
The world has changed, yet our examination system still acts as if memorizing many subjects equals intelligence.
It does not.
Too Many Subjects, Too Little Understanding
Loading many subjects into one high-stakes exam does not always produce smarter children.
Often, it produces:
rote learning instead of understanding
pressure instead of curiosity
memorization instead of creativity
fear instead of confidence
Many students study to survive exams, not to truly learn.
Teachers also face pressure. Instead of building critical thinking, communication, creativity, leadership, and practical life skills, schools spend most of their time rushing to finish the syllabus.
Children memorize notes today and forget them tomorrow.
That is not deep education.
Examination Confers Importance
One truth about education is simple:
What is examined becomes important. What is not examined receives little attention.
If BECE mainly rewards memorization, schools will naturally focus on drilling students for exams.
But education should also value:
creativity
emotional intelligence
problem-solving
communication
teamwork
leadership
discipline
entrepreneurship
Sadly, many schools barely have time for these because examination pressure controls everything.
Reduce the Subjects, Deepen the Learning
Reducing subjects does not mean lowering standards. In fact, it may improve learning.
BECE could focus on five strong core areas:
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Integrated Science
- Ghanaian Language
- General Paper combining Social Studies, RME, ICT, Creative Arts, Citizenship, Career Skills, and practical reasoning
This still tests broad knowledge without overwhelming learners.
Instead of scattering attention across many papers, students can gain deeper understanding while schools gain more time to teach life itself.
“But Children Need Broad Knowledge”
That concern is valid.
Subjects like history, RME, computing, creative arts, and technology matter greatly. But important subjects do not always need separate high-stakes examinations.
A child does not become innovative because ICT was memorized for exams.
A child does not become morally upright because RME had its own paper.
Real understanding grows through projects, discussion, practice, mentorship, and real-life application.
Some of life’s most important lessons cannot be measured well in a two-hour exam hall.
We Are Training Human Beings, Not Examination Machines
Many children complete JHS unable to:
communicate confidently
solve practical problems
manage emotions
discover talents
think independently
work well with others
Yet they can recite definitions perfectly.
This shows a serious imbalance.
Education should not only prepare students for SHS placement. It should prepare them for life.
A nation cannot build its future only on examination performance. It must build capable human beings.
Mental Health Matters Too
We must also consider the emotional burden many learners carry.
Some children study for months under fear:
fear of failure
fear of disappointing parents
fear of poor placement
fear of comparison
At ages where confidence should grow, anxiety is growing instead.
Children are human beings before they are examination candidates.
The Future Needs Different Skills
The modern world now values:
adaptability
creativity
leadership
communication
digital thinking
innovation
emotional intelligence
These skills require time to develop.
If schools remain trapped in endless exam preparation, where will that time come from?
Reducing examination overload can create room for:
practical projects
reading culture
leadership activities
debate
innovation
vocational exploration
Education Must Be Wiser
Exams are important. Standards matter. Accountability matters too.
But examinations must support education not imprison it.
A wise education system asks:
Can students think independently?
Can they solve problems?
Can they lead and create?
Can they contribute meaningfully to society?
If the answer is no, then having more subjects will not solve the problem.
Sometimes wisdom is not in having more.
Sometimes wisdom is simplifying better.
Reducing BECE subjects is not about making education easier. It is about making education wiser, healthier, deeper, and more relevant to life.
By ALICE FRIMPONG SARKODIE
(MsSark LifeCoach)
Director – Nobel Heights School
