Basic Education Certificate Examination Research Articles

Predictive Validity of Students’ Achievement Scores in Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) on Achievement in Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Conducted by NECO in Mathematics

This study, investigated Predictive Validity of Students’ Achievement Scores in Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) on Achievement in Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by NECO in Mathematics. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The sample of the study comprised 3910 candidates sampled from 7 randomly drawn unity schools within Ebonyi and Abia states of Nigeria for the period under study (2014 – 2019). The official BECE scores and SSCE scores in mathematics of the students domiciled in NECO headquarters Minna, Niger state, Nigeria served as data for the study. Data collected were analyzed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation to answer the research questions and Multiple Regression statistics to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The analysis of the data revealed that BECE scores have a strong validity with the students’ achievement in SSCE mathematics examination. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship between the students BECE scores and their achievement in SSCE mathematics examination. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that the BECE preparation of the students should be given serious attention because of its proven predictive value on achievement at the SSCE level. Keywords: Mathematics, Predictive Validity, and Academic Achievement DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-21-03 Publication date: July 31 st 2021

Effect of Usability of Mathematics Laboratory Facilities on the Achievement of Junior Secondary School Students in Number and Numeration

The study focused on the effect of the usability of mathematics laboratory facilities on achievement of students in number and numeration at junior secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling was used to select two schools in Ikorodu Zone, Education District II and 59 students from two intact classes were selected. The quasi-experimental research design was adopted which involved pre-test and post-test non-equivalent control group. The instrument used for the study was the Number and Numeration Achievement Test (NNAT) which consisted 20 objective questions was adopted from Lagos State Unified Basic Education Certificate Examination past questions validated by Lagos State Ministry of Education Examinations Board. The reliability of the instrument was 0.73 with the use of Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The two research questions raised were answered with the aid of means and Bar-charts, while the three null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Co-Variance (ANCOVA). The findings revealed that the use of mathematics laboratory enhanced achievement in Number and Numeration unlike conventional method. It also showed that there is no significant effect of gender on the achievement of students taught number and numeration using mathematics laboratory approach. Lastly, there is no significant interaction effect of Mathematics laboratory method and gender on students’ achievement scores. It was recommended that mathematics laboratory should be established, and laboratory approach of teaching mathematics should be adopted in our schools. Keywords: Usability, Laboratory Facilities, Achievement, Number, Numeration DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-21-01 Publication date: July 31 st 2021

DETECTING DIFFERENTIAL ITEM FUNCTIONING IN 2019 BECE BASIC SCIENCE MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS ADMINISTERED IN SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

The study investigated items of 2019 basic science multiple choice, basic education certificate examination (BECE), conducted by the Rivers state ministry of education for junior secondary school three certification. The study attempted to detect differential item functioning of the administered items on urban and rural JSS3 students in Rivers State. A sample size of 240 students drawn from the entire JSS3 population in the state using multistage random sampling technique were used for the study; 120 from urban and 120 from rural schools. Comparative research design was adopted as the framework in this study. The 60 multiple choice 2019 basic science BECE items were used as instrument for data collection which were administered to the students. Items were dichotomously scored. R software was used for item analysis to determine difficulty and discrimination parameters in Two Parameter Logistic Model (2PLM) of Item Response Theory (IRT). R was also adopted to detect deferentially functioning items using Mantel-Haenszel DIF detection method. The study compared results between urban and rural students item characteristic curves, parameters, chi-square statistics, and p-values. It was discovered that urban students found more of the 2019 basic science BECE items easier than their counterparts in the rural areas. The study also revealed that some items deferentially functioned between the two groups when used to assess them. Based on the findings, it was recommended that basic science items for such assessment should be thoroughly checked for DIF, and if found, eliminated or edited before use. Both urban and rural students should be placed on the same condition of learning. KEYWORDS: Item Response Theory, Differential Item Functioning

Interrelated and Multi-Dimensional Factors Affecting Quality Basic Education in Nandom Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana

Worldwide, quality education is a platform for social and personal development. In recent times, pupils in basic schools in Nandom Municipality seem not to acquire critical learning skills and consequently are underperforming. This paper investigates the interrelated and multi-dimensional factors affecting quality education in basic schools in the Nandom Municipality. Through the system andhuman capital theories, the paper draws a link between the various kinds of educational inputs pupils receive, the processing of such inputs and their outcomes, which reflect in their academic performance at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). The study employed a mixed research methods design. Cluster sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were used to selectrespondents. The study found that many pupils are not acquiring foundational knowledge in Literacy and Mathematics as reflected in the BECE performance due to inadequate educational resources, poor school management and supervision, and family socio-economic background factors. The study concludes that the quest for quality education for pupils would continue to be illusive unless thefundamentals underpinning quality education such as school resources and management are improved. It is recommended that government provides adequate educational resources for schools and reinforces the decentralisation concept of school management.
 Keywords: Quality Education, Resources, Management, Pupils, Learning Achievements

Item Analysis of the Science and Technology Components of the 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examination Conducted by National Examinations Council

One of the activities that take place behind the scenes as part of the steps taken by examination bodies to standardized tests is the determination of the psychometric properties of the items in a process referred to as item analysis. This study analysed the adequacy of the basic science and technology test items used for the 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examination in terms of difficulty levels, discriminating powers, guessing, and distracter indices. The study adopted evaluation and descriptive survey research designs. A sample of 976 students was selected from 59 schools across Niger State for the study using a multistage random sampling procedure. A 60-item Basic Science and Technology test administered by the National Examinations Council for the 2019 BECE was used to collect data for the study. The item difficulty levels, discriminating powers, guessing, and distracter indices of the items were generated based on a four-parameter Item Response Theory model using Xcalibre software package. The items adequately satisfied unidimensionality and local independence, when statistically examined using confirmatory factor analysis and tetra–chronic correlation respectively. The findings revealed that all the items satisfied the difficulty, discrimination, distracter and guessing indices criteria to be used for the 2019 BECE. It was recommended among others that school proprietors and the government should endeavour to sponsor teachers to attend item generation workshops to be up-to-date with how to generate test items that meet the criteria for final examinations.

The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Basic Education Delivery in Ghana: Implications for Theory, Policy, and Practice

Non-Governmental Organizations play an indispensable role in the development process in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is evident in the educational sector where most major donor organizations have increased the resources apportioned through NGOs to implement their educational programmes. However, it is sad to indicate that these interventions appear either not to have had significant impact on quality education or the contributions of the NGOs are misplaced in view of the abysmal performance of school children especially at the Basic Education Certificate Examinations in the Tamale Metropolis. The purpose of this current research is to find out the contribution of Non-Governmental Organizations activities in basic education delivery, spotlighting on Action Aid Ghana in Tamale Metropolis. This mixed method study is guided by Oregon’s Quality Education Model. Using a collective case study design, a sample size of 114 respondents comprising actors selected through purposive sampling technique engaged in basic education delivery was used for the study. The data gathered in the form of questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics while the interviews conducted were analyzed qualitatively through content analysis in codes, themes, and sub themes with the NVivo10 software. The result showed infrastructure development, provision of teaching and learning materials, capacity development of teachers, provide learning needs to students and school community sensitization as Action Aid support activities to basic education delivery in Tamale Metropolis. These activities have contributed to improved quality teaching and learning, enhanced the availability of teaching and learning materials. However, the support activities were inadequate to improve students’ performances in Basic Education Certificate Examination. In view of the findings, it was recommended that; Action Aid Ghana should set up a supervision and monitoring center in collaboration with the Education Directorate to ensure effective supervision of teaching and learning.

Junior secondary school students' intralingual errors in essays written in French language

This study set out to identify students’ intralingual errors in the essays written in French. The study adopted the ex-post facto design, using the content analysis technique. The population comprised 2,893 copies of descriptive essays written in French Language by year 3 junior secondary school students in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2015, 2016 and 2017 in Imo State. The sample of 228 essays was selected through stratified, purposive and proportionate random sampling techniques. The three instruments for the study were the question papers on French Language, the students’ answer scripts and a researcher-designed Checklist of Intralingual Errors for Learning French (CIELF). The data from the error analysis were subjected to analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and the research question that guided the study was answered in percentages. The results showed that the students committed eight intralingual errors, which include overgeneralization, omission, addition, simplification of parts of speech, misinformation, agreement, verb forms and mechanical errors. Part of the recommendations is for teachers of French to build language instructions on students’ prior knowledge and experiences, thereby making French languagelearning to be real and interesting to the students.

A Trend Analysis of Junior High School Pupils’ Performance in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Ghana

In recent times, parents and other stakeholders in the field of education have expressed worries regarding the poor performance of pupils in rural and public schools in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) compared to their counterparts in urban and private schools in Ghana. This study examines the performance trends of urban, rural, public and private Junior High Schools in the BECE over a 5-year period. The study made use of secondary data which reflected the indicators of pupils’ performance in the BECE. The data obtained were analysed using percentages, frequency counts, and time-series graphs. The findings of this research showed that the proportion of pupils who passed the BECE in rural schools were less than those who passed in the urban schools in Ghana. It was further observed that although the performance trends for both public and private schools were not so different for 2016, 2017, and 2018, more pupils in public than private schools passed the BECE. Based on the findings, the Ministry of Education and all relevant stakeholders in the area of education are encouraged to ensure equitable distribution of resources in terms of infrastructure, teaching and learning resources, adequate and competent teachers to both urban and rural schools to promote the enhancement of pupils’ performance in rural schools.

Continuous Assessment as Predictor of Basic Education Certificate Examination Mathematics Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Continuous assessment is an important component in the assessment of students' overall performance in both internal and external examinations. Continuous assessment takes into consideration students' performance in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of behavior from the time of entry and exit from the school. The extent to which continuous assessment would predict the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) performance has always attracted the attention of researchers, teachers, and education stakeholders. This study, therefore, investigated whether continuous assessment scores would predict BECE mathematics performance in public secondary schools in Abio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The study adopted the correlational and ex-post facto research designs. The population of the study comprised all public secondary school students who sat for the 2015 Basic Education Certificate Examination in mathematics. The sample of the study consisted of 682 students (425 males and 257 females). Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample made up of only students who sat for 2015 BECE mathematics in public secondary schools in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were collected from the Local Government Area Basic Education Board. The results of the study revealed that continuous assessment is a predictor of mathematics Basic Education Certificate Examination. The study recommended that the implementation of continuous assessment practice should be strictly monitored by the Basic Education Board in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of River State.

Differential Item Functioning of 2018 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Mathematics: A Comparative Study of Male and Female Candidates

Differential Item Functioning of 2018 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Mathematics: A Comparative Study of Male and Female Candidates

Content Validation of Basic Education Certificate Examination Questions in Basic Science in Adamawa State, Nigeria

The study assessed the content validation of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) questions in Basic Science set by Adamawa State Educational Resource Centre (ERC), Yola, Nigeria. This was to determine the representativeness of the topics and their levels of the cognitive domain in the Junior Secondary School Basic Science curriculum in the Basic Education Certificate Examination in Basic Science question papers from 2013 to 2017. Document analysis research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised all past Basic Education Certificate Examination questions in Basic Science. The research instrument used for the data collection was a designed checklist along table of specification. A pilot study was conducted and a reliability index of 0.86 was obtained using Cronbach alpha analysis. Three research questions were raised with two hypotheses tested at 0. 05 level of significance. The result of the findingp=0.000 revealed that there is no significant difference between the topics in the Basic Science curriculum and those examined in the Basic Education Certificate Examination questions in Basic Science. Again, the result 0.675 showed that there is significant difference between the weights assigned to the various levels of cognitive domain in the Basic Science curriculum and those weights assigned to them in Basic Education Certificate Examination Basic Science question papers. Based on the findings, it was recommended that re-training, workshops, conferences and seminars should be organized for Basic Science teachers and external examiners regularly to update their knowledge on test construction.

Effects of School Location and Teachers’ Quality on Students Performance in Business Studies Examination in Public Secondary Schools in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State

The purpose of the study is to find out the effects of school location and teachers’ quality on students performance in Business Studies Examination in public secondary schools in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study, and the expost facto research design was used for the study. The population of the study was 2579 students that sat for Business Studies in the Basic Education Certificate Examination in public secondary schools in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State for 2016/2017 Academic Session. No sampling was done population was used as sample for the study, as well, no instrument was develop for data collection, data were collected on request from Ministry of Primary and Basic Education, Sapele Field Office. Data collected were analysed using simple frequency count and percentage for the research questions. The results show that location does not have significant effects on students’ performance. Also, the findings revealed that qualification of teacher has significant effects on students’ performance. Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that school location does not have significant effects on students’ performance in Business Studies examination in secondary schools in Delta State. As well, teachers’ qualification has significant effects on students’ performance in Business Studies examination in secondary schools in Delta State. Hence, it was recommended amongst others that Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education should employ qualified teachers to teach Business Studies in secondary schools in Delta State.

Effect of Perceived Job-Related Stress on Teacher Job Satisfaction in a High-Stakes Testing Environment

Public demand for high scores in the nationwide high-stakes test, that is, Basic Education Certificate Examination places Ghanaian teachers in a position to experience high amount of stress since they are to work harder to ensure that the demand is realized. The main aim of the study was to investigate effect of teachers perceived job-related stress on their job satisfaction. Using public Junior High School teachers in the Kwahu South District as the target population, 120 of them from public 20 schools were selected using proportionate stratified sampling technique with a common ratio of 4:10 (0.4). An adapted high-stakes testing questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Variance based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), specifically, Partial Least Square (PLS) model was used to validate the instrument and to test the study hypothesis 1. Independent samples t-test as well as means and standard deviations were used in the analysis of the data to test the hypothesis 2 and answer the research question respectively. Findings revealed teacher Job-related stress as a significant predictor of job satisfaction in a high-stakes testing environment. Implications are provided for policy and practice.

Students’ Grades in Basic Education Certificate Examination as Predictor of Grades in West Africa Certificate Examination

This study investigated how students’grades in Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) predict grades in West Africa Examination Certificate (WAEC) in English Language, mathematics and Igbo Language subjects. The study adopted correlation research design and was guided by three null hypotheses. The scores of 1,200 students’ was randomly selected from the population of 10,041 students’ from sixty (60) government owned secondary schools in Awka Education Zone who sat for the BECE in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and then WAEC in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The data were collected through the principals of the respective schools sampled and from the Director Examinations Development Centre (EDC) Awka. Linear regression analysis with aid of SPSS were used to ascertain the extent to which students’grades in BECE predict grades in WAEC in English Language, mathematics and Igbo Language. The hypothesis were tested at 0.05 alpha level of significant and found that 84.1% of students’ grades in WAEC English language was predicted by their grades in BECE English language, 49.2% of students’ grades in WAEC mathematics were predicted by their grades in BECE mathematics while 88.7% of students’ grades in WAEC Igbo language was predicted by their grades in BECE Igbo language. The study recommends that the government of Nigeria should work towards extending basic education to include senior secondary education. The findings of this study will go a long way to aid such decision as the policy makers will have an idea on how students’ grades in BECE predict their grades in SSCE.

Parameters of Basic Science Test Item’s of 2011 Basic Education Certificate Examination Using Item Response Theory (IRT) Approach in Delta State, Nigeria

Parameters of Basic Science Test Item’s of 2011 Basic Education Certificate Examination Using Item Response Theory (IRT) Approach in Delta State, Nigeria

An Assessment of Item Statistics Estimates of Basic Education Certificate Examination through Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory approach

In this study, the researchers assessed comparability of
 item statistics of 2017 basic education certificate mathematics examination of
 National Examinations Council (NECO) through Classical Test Theory (CTT) and
 Item Response Theory (IRT) measurement frameworks. The study adopted
 instrumentation design. A 60-item NECO basic education certificate education
 mathematics objective test paper I was administered to 978 basic nine
 examinees, randomly selected from Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Area,
 Osun State, Nigeria. The responses of the examinees to the test data were
 analysed using Marginal Maximum Likelihood Estimation of JMETRIK software.  The result showed that the test data obey the
 assumption of unidimensionality of 3-parameter logistic model and Classical
 Test Theory measurement framework deleted more items 33 (55%) compare to IRT
 measurement framework 12 (20%). Also, it was observed that item statistics from
 the two contrasting frameworks (CTT and IRT) were not comparable. Moreover,
 further analysis showed that there was low correlation among the item
 statistics index. The implication of this is that NECO should jettison the use
 of Classical Test Theory and embrace utilization of Item Response Theory
 framework during their test development and item analysis. 

Comparison of Pupils’ Academic Performance by Region, in Integrated Science at the Basic Education Certificate Examination, between 2005 and 2007 in Selected Junior Secondary Schools in Sierra Leone

The study compared pupils' academic performance by region in integrated science at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in selected junior secondary schools between 2005-2007 in Sierra Leone. Descriptive research of a survey design was adopted. The target population comprised of all the junior secondary schools that were compiled in the Handbook for Junior Secondary Schools in Sierra Leone in 1994, all the junior secondary school pupils that sat to integrated science at BECE in 2005, 2006 and 2007 academic years in Sierra Leone, Integrated Science Teachers and Integrated Science Heads of Department. Out of the population, sample of 100 junior secondary schools, were purposively chosen by the researcher. To ensure representative samples in the four regions, stratified random sampling technique was employed. The main research instrument used to collect data on pupils' performance at BECE within the years under review was the Basic Education Certificate Examination results published by WAEC in 2005, 2006 and2007 academic years. Data were analysed using statistical tools. Firstly, descriptive statistics which entails frequency counts and percentages were used to address the research questions while the Chi- Square statistic was employed to test the Null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance through Statistical Package of Social Sciences(SPSS)Software. These results were displayed on bar charts and line graphs for meaningful interpretations.The findings of the study revealed that unsatisfactory performance of candidates in integrated science at BECE between the periods 2005 and 2007across the regions exist, which is deteriorating. This unsatisfactory performance of pupils across these regions is said to be attributed to many factors which is a grave concern to the nation .Based on the findings it was recommended that government through the Teaching Service Commission ensures that well trained and qualified teachers in integrated science with vast experience should be recruited across the regions in Sierra Leone to teach integrated science. This will help to meet the needs of the learnersFurthermore, it was recommended that the teacher training colleges, polytechnics and universities should intensify the training of teachers especially in Science Education pedagogy .Finally, the Ministry of Education should ensure that in each region, infrastructural facilities are been provided to reduce congestion in the classrooms. And there should be a pupil teacher ratio of 1:40 to ensure effective and efficient class management and control.

An Assessment of Item Statistics Estimates of Basic Education Certificate Examination through Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory approach

An Assessment of Item Statistics Estimates of Basic Education Certificate Examination through Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory approach

ASSESSMENT OF DIFFERENTIAL ITEM FUNCTIONING IN SOCIAL STUDIES MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS IN BASIC EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

The study examined Differential Item Functioning in Social Studies multiple choice questions in Basic Education Certificate Examination. Five research questions and five hypotheses guided the study. An ex-post facto research design was adopted. The population of this study consisted of all Junior Secondary class three students in Delta central senatorial district. The proportionate stratified random sampling technique was employed. The instruments used for collecting data were the 2014 BECE Social Studies multiple choice questions and socio-economic status whose validity and reliability was ensured. Data were analyzed using SPSS and WINSTEPS. Descriptive statistics was used to answer the research questions while Independence Chi-square test was used to test the hypotheses. The finding revealed that there is incidence of gender, location, socio-economic, school type and school ownership differential functioning in 2014 BECE Social Studies multiple choice test. It was recommended that examination bodies should be mindful of the disparities that exist between gender, location, socio-economic status, school type and school ownership. Some recommendations were made. Article visualizations:

Trend Analysis of Students’ Academic Performance in Selected Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Subjects in Ogun State Basic Education Certificate Examination (OG-BECE), Nigeria, from 2011 to 2015: A Projection for Five Years

The study investigated the trend of performance of students in selected Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) conducted by Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Nigeria. The study adopted an ex post facto research design to carry out the trend analysis of students’ results in the examination from 2011 to 2015. All the students that enrolled and sat for the BECE examinations constituted the target population while the students that sat for the selected STEM subjects (Mathematics, Basic Science, and Basic Technology) within the years under review constituted the sample for the study. The results of these students were collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel with its in-built trend line capabilities. The results showed that students performed well in the selected STEM subjects in the years under review. Furthermore, the study revealed that while performance in other subjects will continue to improve steadily, performance in mathematics will dwindle between 2016 and 2018 and then will begin to steadily improve from 2019 to 2020. It is recommended that the government should continue to support teaching and learning of STEM subjects in all tiers of education.