CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES AND SUGGESTED REMEDIES

Candidates’ weaknesses include their inability to:
-     describe processes sequentially;
-     write legibly;

1. write correct spellings for scientific words;
2. interpret questions correctly;
3. understand the difference between advantages and use as required in question 2;
4. draw and label secchi disc correctly;
5. describe how specimen B (dissolved Oxygen) is used in a fish culture
6. write answers in correct sequence.

The following remedies were suggested to overcome these weaknesses:

1. students should always have practical classes after each topic
2. textbooks that cover a wide range of the syllabus should be used by the teachers and candidates;
3. teachers should endeavour to get previous marking schemes in teaching the students what is expected of them during examination;
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. This could also be used to assess the students’ writing skills;
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.