New vacation date for Basic Schools ;December 17 scheduled for National Standardized Test for Basic 4 Learners

The National Standards Test is in response to Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan from 2018 to 2030, which prioritizes improving learning outcomes at all levels by creating a national standards-based assessment at the pre-tertiary level, to measure the quality of learning achievements before the end of Junior High School.

The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei-Adutwum, during the Minister’s media briefing, in Accra months ago, organised by the Information Ministry indicated that as part of the government’s quest to build a robust education system, it would introduce the National Standards Test to assess and generate evidence on students’ achievement against set national competency standards in literacy and numeracy.

The test, he said, would inform targeted remedial interventions to ensure that students achieve the desired proficiency in literacy and numeracy.

“The basic four pupils would be the first batch to undergo the novelty test this year. The test would not only improve learning outcomes but also reduce “Learning Poverty” across the country.

It wouldn’t be beneficial for pupils to wait for 11 years before writing their first national examination, Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), winch made it difficult to rectify literacy and numeracy challenges”, he said.