Former Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has revealed that efforts to help students improve exam performance began before his tenure, led by former Education Minister Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
Speaking in a one-on-one interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Dr. Opoku Prempeh said Prof. Jane Naana recognized declining student performance and began training teachers to use past examination questions effectively.
“When she realized that student performance was falling, they employed West African Examination Council examiners and markers to train a cohort of teachers on how students answer questions,” he said.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh explained that teachers were trained to pass on this knowledge to other teachers, ensuring that all were on the same level as examiners.
“They were already putting the teachers together, and I even did some training at Kumasi Anglican Secondary School every year. So they trained teachers, and teachers train other teachers,” he added.
He said he continued and expanded the initiative when he became Minister of Education.
“What I did with the West African Examinations Council was to present questions from the last ten years, along with answers and examiners’ reports, so that every student could prepare effectively. The printing of questions is not unique to the NPP government, but we ensured that every student in their final year had access to the last ten years’ questions and answers to understand what to expect,” he said.
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results for 2025 were released, sparking national debate. After years of strong pass rates under the Free SHS policy, the results show a sharp decline.
Core Mathematics pass rates fell from 66.86% in 2024 to 48.73%, while Social Studies dropped from 71.53% to 55.82%. English and Integrated Science recorded slight declines but remained relatively stable.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s comments highlight the importance of teacher training and access to past questions in improving student outcomes and addressing declining performance in key subjects.
ALSO READ:
Double-track system ended before I left Education Ministry – Napo clarifies…
I’ve guided the Minister, and he’s doing well – Opoku Prempeh…
I prefer offering Education policy advice ‘behind closed doors’ – Napo…
