Weakness and Remedies

Candidates’ weaknesses include their inability to:

1. express themselves in simple English Language;
2. write correct spellings for scientific words;
3. interpret questions correctly eg. some candidates stated answers instead of discussing it;
4. outline steps in the production of smoked fish especially in sequential order as required in Question 3(a);
5. Write legibly;
6. State external structural differences between specimen A (Cat fish) and specimen B (Tilapia fish) as required in Question 1(b);
7. Use correct terminologies e.g using ‘whiskers’ instead of ‘barbels’.

The following remedies were suggested to overcome these weaknesses:

1. textbooks that cover a wide range of the syllabus should be used by the teachers and candidates;
2. teachers should endeavour to get previous marking schemes in teaching the students what is expected of them during examination;
3. teachers should emphasize on legible hand writing for students;
4.  teachers should endeavour to cover the syllabus for students before the commencement of the examination;
5. students should cultivate habit of reading;
6. teachers should give students task that will improve their spellings of technical and scientific words;
7. teachers should endeavour to teach both simple and difficult topics in the syllabus;
8. emphasis on teaching candidates’ anatomical and correct scientific words;
9. teachers should participate in WASSCE marking and coordination exercise;
10. teachers and school administrators should always make use of the WASSCE chief examiners report in preparing candidates for external examinations.