Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has warned that the recent WASSCE and BECE results expose challenges that could leave hundreds of thousands of young people struggling to progress in education.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed concern over the latest results released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), particularly the performance of candidates in Core Mathematics and English Language.
He cited figures showing that 183,233 WASSCE candidates completed secondary school without obtaining a credit in Core Mathematics.
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He also pointed to a decline in the credit pass rate for English Language, which stood at 62.40%, describing it as the lowest level recorded in four years.
According to the Minority Leader, performance in both subjects remains below the levels recorded in 2024, a development he said should concern policymakers, parents, teachers and the wider Ghanaian public.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also raised concerns over the ongoing BECE school placement process, particularly the number of candidates who were not initially assigned schools.
He claimed that 54,985 BECE candidates were initially denied automatic placement, while reports of students being assigned to special schools despite not requiring such facilities had also raised concerns.
He cited complaints from students who reported to their assigned schools only to discover that there were no available places.
The Minority Leader questioned the situation against government figures indicating 859,828 vacancies for 623,072 candidates.
He argued that the availability of vacancies on paper must translate into actual school places for students.
“A self-placement portal is not a school place; every child needs an actual seat in a functioning classroom,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin warned that, based on the figures he cited, more than 200,000 young Ghanaians could be at risk of being left behind at different stages of the secondary education system.
Mr Afenyo-Markin called on the government to publish the final BECE school placement outcomes and clarify the rules and pass marks being applied in the placement process.
He also urged the government to adequately fund teaching and remedial programmes to help students who are struggling academically.
For students who do not obtain the required WASSCE credits, he called for stronger alternative pathways into technical and vocational education and training (TVET), apprenticeships and skills development.
He said the Mahama administration should treat the challenges as a national crisis requiring both immediate intervention and long-term reforms.
According to the Minority Leader, Ghana needs an “honest and non-partisan” national discussion on education funding, teaching quality, instructional contact hours, teacher motivation, learning materials, infrastructure and supervision.
“This must rise above partisan excuses because the future of an entire generation is at stake,” he stressed.
The Minority Leader also defended education policies introduced under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, including the expansion of Free Senior High School (Free SHS), Free TVET, apprenticeship and skills-development programmes.
He argued that the interventions were designed to ensure that poverty or examination results did not permanently prevent young people from accessing further education or acquiring employable skills.
Mr Afenyo-Markin urged the government to act immediately, stressing that the 54,985 BECE candidates need actual school places, while the 183,233 WASSCE candidates without a credit in Core Mathematics need opportunities to improve their educational and career prospects.
“Parents are worried, children are anxious, and teachers are under pressure,” he said.
He warned that failure to address the challenges confronting Ghana’s education system could have serious long-term consequences for the country’s development.
“When the education system is in crisis, Ghana’s future is also at risk,” he added.