Weakness and Remedies
Candidates’ weaknesses include their inability to:
- express themselves in simple English Language;
- write correct spellings for scientific words;
- interpret questions correctly eg. some candidates stated answers instead of discussing it;
- outline steps in the production of smoked fish especially in sequential order as required in Question 3(a);
- Write legibly;
- State external structural differences between specimen A (Cat fish) and specimen B (Tilapia fish) as required in Question 1(b);
- Use correct terminologies e.g using ‘whiskers’ instead of ‘barbels’.
The following remedies were suggested to overcome these weaknesses:
- textbooks that cover a wide range of the syllabus should be used by the teachers and candidates;
- teachers should endeavour to get previous marking schemes in teaching the students what is expected of them during examination;
- teachers should emphasize on legible hand writing for students;
- teachers should endeavour to cover the syllabus for students before the commencement of the examination;
- students should cultivate habit of reading;
- teachers should give students task that will improve their spellings of technical and scientific words;
- teachers should endeavour to teach both simple and difficult topics in the syllabus;
- emphasis on teaching candidates’ anatomical and correct scientific words;
- teachers should participate in WASSCE marking and coordination exercise;
- teachers and school administrators should always make use of the WASSCE chief examiners report in preparing candidates for external examinations.