Biology Paper 3, May-June 2023

The observed weaknesses of the candidates include:

poor spelling of technical terms and one-word answers
starting taxonomic names with small letter e.g. panicum sp., Instead of Panicum sp., Caladium sp. etc.
not including the magnification of the diagram;
not giving correct magnifications for diagrams;
wrong spelling of some technical terms e.g adventitius/adventious instead of adventitious, yoke instead of yolk etc.;
using wooly guidelines in labeling diagrams;
making diagrams without the correct specification;
labelling with guidelines that are not ruled;
inability to carry out critical observation on specimens provided before answering questions on them;
making wrong diagrams;
not providing technical details in answering diagrammatic questions;
labelling drawings incorrectly;
poor identification of contrasting features when comparing specimens;
not relating structures with functions;
giving wrong placentation;
inability to follow rubrics;
giving theoretical differences learnt in classroom instead of observable differences in specimens provided.

The following remedies were suggested to overcome these weaknesses:

teachers should expose candidates to more practical works using better strategies and teaching aids to help them understand concepts in biology;
teachers should always engage in refresher courses to bring their knowledge in the subject up to speed;
schools should employ and engage teachers who are professionally and academically qualified and also have passion to teach the biology;
teachers should prepare their candidates to note the importance of biological structures and diagrams;
the candidates should be guided on how to answer questions by organizing seminars for them and giving them assignments using past questions;
the teachers should endeavor to adequately cover the syllabus in the teaching of candidates before the commencement of examinations;
textbooks that cover wide range of the syllabus should be used by the teachers and candidates;
school authorities should endeavour to get previous copies of Chief Examiners’ Reports and utilize same in teaching the candidates;
teachers should emphasize on legible hand writing for candidates;
candidates should cultivate habit of reading wide and covering adequate scope of the syllabus;
teachers should prepare candidates on how to improve their spellings of scientific names and technical words in biology;
teachers should train their candidates on the relevant technical requirements in interpreting and answering diagrammatic questions;
teachers should endeavour to participate in WASSCE marking and coordination exercises.