Candidates' Weaknesses and Suggested Remedies

The observed weaknesses of the candidates include:

- inability to report the experiment on osmosis properly;
- inability to use diagrams to explain the process of osmosis;
- making the diagram on osmosis without proper labels;
- poor spellings of labels;
- some candidates not using a control in the osmosis experiment;
- diagrams not drawn to size;
- not writing titles for the diagrams drawn;
- wrong spellings of biological names, technical terms, one-word answers;
- in question 2(c), candidates were explaining that the leaf should be boiled to destarch it;
- inability to state the locations and sites of action of maltase, lipase, sucrase and amylase enzymes in question 2(b);
- inability to present points in a coherent order;
- inability to state the characteristics of decomposers;
- inability to state the second law of thermodynamics as the laws that explain energy flow in an ecosystem;
- use of poor grammar to express explanation of terms.

The following remedies were proffered to overcome the weaknesses:

- candidates should practice how to make good diagrams;
- standard text books should be used to study;
- candidates should cover the syllabus before taking the examinations;
- candidates should improve on their written English;
- candidates should try as much as possible to spell properly;
- candidates should read and understand a question properly before attempting it;
- candidates should read and adhere to instructions;
- candidates should study past questions and Chief Examiner’s Report;
- candidates should avoid copying answers;
- the general principles and terms used in Biology should be studied with practical examples.