Former Education Minister and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has attributed the decline in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results to the absence of a clear and structured “education formula” guiding the nation’s educational system. He made these remarks while speaking on The Career Trail Season 4 on Joy Learning TV, emphasizing that sustained improvement in education requires a deliberate, data-driven approach with consistent execution and ongoing academic support.
The Need for a Guiding Formula
Dr. Adutwum articulated that success in any endeavor, including public service and business, hinges on a well-defined formula. When such a formula is applied, even if not yielding perfect results, it typically leads to significant success, around 80-90 percent. Conversely, he warned that “things go wrong when there is no formula,” suggesting that a lack of a systematic approach leads to unpredictable outcomes.
Data-Driven Interventions During Tenure
During his tenure as Education Minister, Dr. Adutwum explained that educational reforms were underpinned by structured data analysis derived from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). This analysis was crucial for identifying specific learning gaps within the system.
He detailed how WAEC reports were reviewed annually to pinpoint areas where students consistently faced difficulties, with a particular focus on subjects like mathematics and science. “We would analyze the results at the end of the year using WAEC data. Their reports would show the difficult areas, and we could see where students were weak,” he stated.
Targeted Teacher Training and Support
The insights gained from this data analysis were not merely diagnostic; they informed targeted interventions designed to enhance teacher capacity. Dr. Adutwum revealed that examiners and subject specialists were brought in to train teachers. This initiative aimed to better equip educators to address common student weaknesses when similar examination questions reappeared.
Furthermore, reforms included extending instructional time. Structured extra classes were implemented beyond regular school hours to bolster student understanding. “We used to pay teachers to run extra classes to prepare students better. That additional time made a difference in strengthening understanding,” he disclosed.
Regional Performance Tracking and Addressing Mismatches
A key component of the reform strategy involved tracking performance on a regional basis. This allowed for interventions to be customized to the specific needs of different areas. Education data was disaggregated by region and subject to pinpoint underperforming regions and subjects for direct intervention.
“This helped us see, for example, that one region may be struggling in chemistry while another is weak in biology, and we could intervene specifically,” Dr. Adutwum explained. The strategy also tackled teacher deployment challenges, including instances of subject mismatches where educators were teaching outside their specialization.
He noted that correcting such mismatches, for instance, ensuring mathematics teachers had a background in mathematics, led to improved student performance. Dr. Adutwum asserted that these coordinated efforts contributed to a gradual improvement in pass rates for core subjects over time.
Concerns Over Policy Discontinuities
Despite the progress made, Dr. Adutwum expressed concern that some of these hard-won gains are now being eroded. He attributed this erosion to policy discontinuities and the discontinuation of previously effective support systems. This suggests a potential lack of continuity in educational policy implementation following his tenure.
Future Implications and What to Watch
The former minister’s assessment raises critical questions about the sustainability of educational reforms in the country. The decline in WASSCE results, if confirmed by official statistics, could signal a need for a re-evaluation of current educational policies and the reintroduction of data-driven, structured approaches. Stakeholders will be watching closely to see if the Ministry of Education adopts a more consistent and formulaic approach to address learning outcomes. The focus will likely shift to whether new strategies will be implemented to ensure that educational gains are not only achieved but also sustained for future cohorts of students.
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