Stop placing too much emphasis on passing examination - Prof Anku
The President of the Ghana Mathematics Society (GMS), Professor Sitsofe E. Anku, has expressed concern about the placing of emphasis on passing examination in schools to the detriment of acquisition of knowledge.
Advertisement
According to him, students needed to gain deep understanding of the subjects they learn in school in order to apply the underlying concepts and principles to solve real life problems.
To him, some of the challenges that confront the nation can be solved if learning and application of knowledge were synchronized
He was speaking at the launch of a smartphone application (APP) loaded with past questions and answers aimed at helping Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) candidates pass their examination.
Prof Anku noted that a subject like mathematics can help alleviate majority of the country’s problems, if the principles that underpin the subject was applied.
"If you have an ‘A ‘in physics, and you cannot fix your own fuse, and you got first class in physics and you go for a road side electrician to fix your fuse for you, then there is a problem with that education," he said.
He explained that the principles and methods of mathematics ensure efficiency in everything that is done.
"How are we going to use mathematics to control the flooding, the collapse of the buildings and everything that is going on," he questioned.
He said students need the confidence of passing their exams, hence the importance of past questions in examination.
He said it was a good feeling to pass examination because it gives the desire to want to continue to study, but added that, education must go beyond passing examination to tackling obstacles and challenges that confront society every day.
He also bemoaned the huge gap between teaching, learning and application of knowledge.
The Chief Executive Officer of Revo Education, Mr Achibald Annan, whose company developed the APP said the platform was created because the company believes in using technology to help transform learning experiences of students.
“To complement the effort in making education easily accessible and affordable, it is imperative to incorporate technology in our education delivery system,” he said.
He noted that accessibility was one of the critical areas in education; hence the platform will also give students in deprived communities opportunities for access.