From the Brain to Examination Question: Why Most BECE Students Fail
Author: Dr. Derrick Kwaku Antwi, Ph.D., Ph.D.
Research Area: Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Finance, Neuroscience, Mining Technology, and Marine Technology
Abstract
The transition from classroom learning to successful examination performance requires more than memorising information. A learner must understand, retain, retrieve, interpret, and apply knowledge to examination questions. This research journal examines why some Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in Ghana perform poorly despite having attended school and received classroom instruction. The paper proposes a “Brain-to-Question” framework, which explains examination performance as a process involving learning, memory, retrieval, comprehension, application, examination strategy, and independent decision-making.
Evidence from Ghanaian research indicates that poor academic performance can be associated with factors including teacher-related challenges, parental shortcomings, reactive and passive learning, economic conditions, truancy, and school-environment factors. Examination malpractice may also create a dangerous culture in which poorly prepared candidates expect assistance rather than relying on their own preparation. WAEC explicitly prohibits candidates from seeking or receiving help from invigilators, teachers or other persons during examinations.
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Keywords: BECE, examination failure, brain, learning, memory, examination questions, study habits, examination malpractice, Ghana, academic performance.
1. Introduction
The examination hall is not the place where learning should begin.
A successful examination journey begins much earlier—in the brain of the learner.
When a teacher introduces a concept, the learner receives information. The learner must then process that information, connect it with previous knowledge, store it in memory and eventually retrieve it when confronted with an examination question.
This creates an important educational pathway:
TEACHING → UNDERSTANDING → MEMORY → RETRIEVAL → QUESTION INTERPRETATION → APPLICATION → ANSWER
The central argument of this journal is that failure at any stage of this pathway can contribute to poor examination performance.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) does not itself “fail” candidates; its stated role is to assess and certify candidates according to their examination performance. Therefore, understanding why students perform poorly requires examination of what happens before the examination, not simply what happens inside the examination hall.
2. The Problem Statement
Many BECE candidates spend years attending classes but still experience difficulty answering examination questions independently.
The problem may not simply be that students are unintelligent. Rather, some students may have weaknesses in:
reading comprehension;
concentration;
long-term memory;
revision habits;
independent study;
problem-solving;
examination technique;
time management;
interpretation of questions;
confidence;
regular assessment;
application of knowledge.
Research in Ghana has identified multiple dimensions associated with poor BECE performance, including teacher failures, parental shortcomings, reactive learning, passive learning, unfavourable economic conditions, administrative problems and truancy.
A more recent Ghanaian study of JHS pupils also found that school location, school type and school environmental factors were significant predictors of academic performance in the studied district.
Therefore, BECE performance should be understood as a multidimensional educational problem rather than attributing failure to the student alone.
3. The “Brain-to-Question” Theory
This journal proposes a conceptual model called the:
Brain-to-Question Examination Performance Model
The model consists of seven stages:
Stage 1: Exposure
The student encounters new information through:
classroom teaching;
textbooks;
demonstrations;
assignments;
discussions;
practical activities.
Stage 2: Understanding
The learner asks:
“What does this information mean?”
Understanding is more powerful than simply copying notes.
Stage 3: Encoding
The brain processes and connects the new knowledge with previously learned information.
Stage 4: Storage
Knowledge must become sufficiently established in memory for later retrieval.
Stage 5: Retrieval
During revision or examination, the student must bring the information back from memory.
Stage 6: Question Interpretation
The student must understand what the examination question is actually asking.
Stage 7: Application
The learner selects the appropriate knowledge and uses it to construct an answer.
The complete model can therefore be represented as:
TEACHING
↓
UNDERSTANDING
↓
ENCODING
↓
MEMORY
↓
RETRIEVAL
↓
QUESTION INTERPRETATION
↓
APPLICATION
↓
CORRECT ANSWER
4. Why Some BECE Candidates Fail
4.1 Studying Only Before the Examination
One of the greatest problems is last-minute preparation.
A candidate who waits until the examination is approaching may attempt to memorise large amounts of information within a short period.
Effective preparation should instead be continuous.
Good preparation = small amounts of learning repeated over time.
4.2 Passive Learning
Some students attend lessons physically but are not mentally engaged.
They may:
copy notes;
listen without asking questions;
memorise definitions;
avoid exercises;
depend heavily on teachers.
Research on BECE performance in Ghana has identified passive and reactive learning among factors associated with poor academic achievement.
The learner must therefore move from:
“Teacher teaches me.”
to:
“I teach myself through practice.”
5. The Difference Between Reading and Learning
Reading does not automatically mean learning.
A student may read a chapter five times and still be unable to answer a question.
True learning requires:
READ → UNDERSTAND → CLOSE BOOK → RECALL → PRACTISE → CHECK → CORRECT → REPEAT
This is why examination preparation should include questions, exercises and self-testing rather than reading alone.
6. Failure to Understand the Examination Question
Sometimes a student possesses the necessary knowledge but fails because the question is misunderstood.
For example:
“Explain three causes of soil erosion.”
The candidate must identify the command word “explain.”
A list without explanation may not fully satisfy the requirement.
Students should therefore learn examination command words such as:
Define
State
List
Explain
Describe
Compare
Distinguish
Discuss
Calculate
Identify
Analyse
Give reasons
Understanding the question is therefore a major part of answering the question.
7. The Danger of Depending on Invigilator Assistance
Another important issue is the expectation that someone in the examination environment will provide answers.
This creates a dangerous psychological dependency:
Poor preparation → anxiety → expectation of assistance → reduced independent effort.
Such behaviour is not a legitimate examination strategy.
WAEC’s examination rules prohibit candidates from seeking or receiving help from invigilators, supervisors, teachers or other persons. WAEC also states that examination malpractice can result in results being withheld or cancelled.
The message to students should therefore be simple:
Do not prepare to depend on the examination hall. Prepare to depend on your knowledge.
8. Examination Anxiety
Knowledge alone does not guarantee effective performance.
A student may understand a subject but experience:
fear;
panic;
poor concentration;
racing thoughts;
loss of confidence;
difficulty recalling information.
Research specifically examining anxiety among final-year JHS students in Ghana highlights examination-related psychological concerns surrounding the BECE.
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Schools should therefore teach examination preparation alongside examination confidence and emotional preparation.
9. The Teacher’s Responsibility
The problem cannot be placed entirely on students.
Teachers have important responsibilities to:
explain concepts clearly;
identify learning difficulties early;
provide regular exercises;
give feedback;
use formative assessments;
teach examination skills;
encourage independent learning;
monitor weak students;
communicate with parents;
discourage examination malpractice.
A classroom should not merely prepare students to remember lessons.
It should prepare students to solve problems independently.
10. The Parent’s Responsibility
Parents and guardians also influence examination preparation.
They can support students by:
providing a suitable study environment;
monitoring attendance;
encouraging reading;
reducing unnecessary distractions;
discussing academic progress;
encouraging healthy study routines;
communicating with teachers.
However, parental support should not become pressure that produces fear.
The goal should be:
SUPPORT + GUIDANCE + ENCOURAGEMENT
rather than:
PRESSURE + FEAR + COMPARISON.
11. The Student’s Responsibility
Ultimately, the candidate must take ownership of learning.
A successful BECE candidate should ask every day:
“What did I learn today?”
“Can I explain it without looking at my notes?”
“Can I answer a question about it?”
“What did I get wrong?”
“How will I correct the mistake?”
This transforms the student from a passive receiver into an active learner.
12. From Classroom to Examination Hall
The educational journey can be represented as follows:
CLASSROOM
↓
TEACHER EXPLAINS
↓
STUDENT LISTENS
↓
STUDENT UNDERSTANDS
↓
STUDENT PRACTISES
↓
STUDENT RECEIVES FEEDBACK
↓
STUDENT REVISES
↓
MOCK EXAMINATION
↓
CORRECTION OF ERRORS
↓
EXAMINATION
↓
INDEPENDENT ANSWER
↓
RESULT
The missing element in many weak learners is not necessarily classroom attendance.
It is the practice and feedback cycle.
13. Proposed “BECE Brain Training Programme”
Schools could establish a structured programme based on five principles:
B — Build Knowledge
Students learn the concepts.
R — Recall
Students practise retrieving information.
A — Apply
Students solve questions.
I — Interpret
Students learn how to understand questions.
N — Navigate the Examination
Students develop examination strategy, time management and confidence.
Thus:
BRAIN = Build → Recall → Apply → Interpret → Navigate
14. Recommendations
For Students
Begin preparation early.
Read every day.
Practise past questions.
Test yourself without looking at notes.
Ask questions when confused.
Keep an error notebook.
Avoid dependence on examination assistance.
Sleep adequately before examinations.
Learn to interpret questions carefully.
For Teachers
Conduct frequent formative assessments.
Identify weak learners early.
Teach concepts rather than memorisation alone.
Use past questions appropriately.
Provide feedback.
Teach examination command words.
Develop students’ independent problem-solving abilities.
For Parents
Create a supportive study environment.
Monitor academic progress.
Encourage regular study.
Avoid excessive pressure.
Maintain communication with teachers.
For Schools
Establish BECE preparation programmes.
Organise regular mock examinations.
Analyse student errors.
Provide remedial lessons.
Include study-skills education.
Strengthen counselling services.
Promote examination integrity.
15. Conclusion
The question “Why do some BECE students fail?” cannot be answered by looking only at the examination paper.
The answer begins with the learner’s journey from brain to examination question.
A student must receive knowledge, understand it, encode it, retain it, retrieve it, interpret the question and apply the appropriate knowledge.
Therefore:
The examination answer is produced in the examination hall, but the quality of that answer is largely developed long before the examination begins.
The most important lesson of this research journal is that BECE success should be built through preparation, understanding, memory, practice, feedback, confidence and integrity—not through dependence on assistance in the examination hall.
WAEC itself emphasizes that candidates are assessed according to their performance and that malpractice can lead to sanctions.
The future of BECE preparation should therefore move from:
“How can I get help during the examination?”
to:
“How can I prepare my brain to answer the question myself?”
Selected References
Folson, D., & Awuah, F. K. (2014). Combating examination malpractices in the Basic
Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) in Ghana. International Journal of Computer
Applications, 100(7), 12–23.
Frempong, M., Asare-Bediako, M., & Aboagye, P. (2016). Factors contributing to the low
academic achievement of students at the Basic Education Certificate Examination in some
public Junior High Schools of a political district in the Western Region of Ghana.
International Journal of Mathematics and Statistics Studies.
West African Examinations Council. BECE Guidelines, Scheme and Structure.
West African Examinations Council. Frequently Asked Questions.
West African Examinations Council. Rules and regulations for dealing with examination irregularities.
School environmental factors, pupils’ characteristics, and academic performance: The case of Junior High School pupils of the Krachi West District of Ghana. Heliyon, 2024.