Ghana Places Last in International Math, Science Quiz

A team of educational scientists from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) tasked to access the performances and impact of forty-eight nations in a competition has concluded that Ghana�s performance is simply pathetic. The team included Prof. Anamuah-Mensah, the executive chair, Teacher Education in Sub-Sahara Africa and immediate post vice chancellor of the UEW; Prof Kofi Mereku, dean, Science Education of UEW; and Prof. Ampiah-Ghartey, head of Science Education at the UCG. In the end, Ghana was ranked 47th and last in the mathematics competition and 48th and also last in the science. The first five countries in mathematics were Chinese Taipei, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan respectively. In science, Singapore came first, followed closely by Chinese Taipei, and Japan. The fourth position was occupied by Korea with England trailing at fifth. Among the six African countries that participated in the competition, Ghana was still the weakest; Botswana placed 43rd and 46th in mathematics and science respectively. Egypt scored 391 point to be 38th and 41st in mathematics and science. Presenting the report to the Ghana Education Service in Accra Tuesday, the team said that Ghana�s performances were so poor that marks of over 80% of the students fell below an international benchmark set for the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. The team attributed the drab performance to Ghana�s non-Conformity with the syllabi being followed internationally but using methodology over 10 years outmoded with outdated content to teach its students in mathematics and science. The team, therefore, has recommended that the MoE, as a matter of urgency, establish a national task force on mathematics and science to review the curriculum for students to be able to compete in the job market internationally. The MoE was also asked to provide such educational hardware as computers and other resources to get learners acclimatized with the current terrain. The educationists also encouraged trainers to teach problem solving and encourage their students to investigate rather than memorize.