Weakness and Remedies
Candidates’ weaknesses include their inability to:
- express their thoughts correctly;
- write correct spellings for scientific words;
- interpret questions correctly;
- understand the difference between advantages and importance as required in question 1 (c)(i);
- state the ways of prolonging the lifespan of specimen E(Shovel);
- correctly describe how specimen K(secchi disc) is used in a fish pond.
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;
- teachers should also focus on water quality issues as they do for other sections of the subject;
- 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.