Assessing the Performance of Junior High Students in the Obuasi Municipality of the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Abstract

Education has been one of the top most priorities of most developing countries. Students of the junior high schools are examined by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) under the examination title Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at the end of the three year program. It is in this light that we assess the performance of junior high secondary students in Obuasi Municipality using their aggregates of the BECE from 2009 to 2012. Non parametric statistical methods (Kruskal Wallis test and Mann Whitney test) were used to analyze the data since the normality assumption was violated. Result from Kruskal Wallis test indicated that there were significant differences in the performance of the students from 2009 to 2012. Mann Whitney specifically showed significant differences in student’s performance between (2009 and 2010, 2010 and 2012, 2011 and 2012) and no significant difference in performance between (2009 and 2012, 2010 and 2011). Again Mann Whitney test showed no significant difference in the performances of males and females. It is recommended that there should be an effective supervision from the stakeholders as well as parents to enhance effective teaching and learning.

Keywords: Basic Education Certificate Examination, Aggregate, Kruskal Wallis test and Mann    Whitney test