Starting from the academic year 2024/2025, senior high school (SHS) Science students will no longer be mandated to study Core and Elective Mathematics as separate examinable subjects.
Instead, they will be required to undertake Additional Mathematics, according to information provided by Professor Edward Appiah, the Director-General of the National Council and Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA).
Professor Appiah further clarified that Science students will no longer study Integrated Science, given their focus on Pure Science. This shift in requirements echoes the educational system in the country post-independence before major reforms introduced the junior high school (JHS) and senior high school (SHS) system.
In an exclusive interview with Graphic Online’s Education Editor, Severious Kale-Dery, Professor Edward Appiah explained that students pursuing General Arts, Business, Home Economics, and Visual Arts would now take Integrated Science, which will transform into General Science and Modern Mathematics instead of Core Mathematics.
This directive aligns with the introduction of standard-based and common core curricula for basic and junior high schools. The Ministry of Education has revised curricula for pre-tertiary schools, aiming to shift from rote learning to fostering critical learning skills.
The current JHS students will undergo the maiden edition of the common core Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Professor Appiah outlined that the current JHS 3 students started with the common core in JHS One, and their BECE will be based on the common core curriculum.
NaCCA has completed a trial test of the common core curriculum for SHS students, scheduled to commence in the 2024/2025 academic year. The trial involved categorizing the country into three zones, selecting schools for the test, and gathering feedback for finalization.
The Director-General highlighted that the final trial test of the document would be conducted in 31 schools across the country and concluded by July. The new academic year, starting in September, will see a return to the old academic calendar, with JHS 3 students beginning the SHS common core curriculum.
Professor Appiah emphasized the change in the mode of assessment, moving towards a continuous, multiple assessment system throughout the academic year, offering a more holistic evaluation of students’ progress.