Professor Enoch Opoku Antwi, Dean at Academic City University College, has criticized Ghana’s education assessment structure. He described the current “40% continuous assessment, 60% final examinations” model as flawed.
This method often rewards students for memorizing facts instead of truly understanding concepts. Professor Antwi spoke on The Career Trail Season 4 on Joy Learning TV and Joy News. He explained that students are frequently assessed based on recall rather than practical competence.
This situation contrasts sharply with education systems in more developed countries. These systems often place greater emphasis on continuous assessment. Such a focus encourages consistent effort, discipline, and understanding throughout a course. Changing Ghana's approach could better prepare students for the demands of a modern economy.
Professor Antwi emphasized that exams should not be the sole determinant of a student's success. He noted that an illness on exam day could unfairly cause a student to fail. “You have a situation here in Ghana where continuous assessment is 40% for the whole semester, and then your examinations are 60%. So if, on the day you are writing the examinations, you are ill, or anything happens to you, you fail,” he stated. He added, “This approach encourages memorisation rather than understanding, with many students simply doing ‘chew, pour, pass, and then forget everything.’”
He contrasted Ghana’s system with international models, where continuous assessment can account for 80% of a student’s grade, leaving only 20% for final exams. In these advanced systems, active participation and consistent work habits earn more points than a single test. This method fosters deeper engagement and practical application of knowledge, which are critical skills in today's global economy.
Professor Antwi highlighted that learning should move beyond rote consumption to creation. He explained that students should analyze, synthesize, and create new things from what they learn. For example, in a leadership class, students should debate and propose solutions, not just define terms. This interactive type of learning develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
This focus on creation and application helps explain why many global technology and innovation companies originate from countries with such education systems. Companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook emerged from environments where students are taught to apply knowledge to solve real problems. Ghana's future economic growth, particularly in sectors requiring high-level innovation, depends on producing graduates with these capabilities.
Ghana’s educational institutions and policymakers must consider Proffesor Antwi's concerns. Reforming the assessment model could lead to graduates better equipped for the job market. A shift towards greater continuous assessment could foster creativity, discipline, and strong work ethics. It would prioritize true learning over mere examination performance, shaping more innovative individuals for Ghana's future.