WASSCE Candidates’ Weaknesses In History And Remedies | Extract From Chief Examiners Report Towards WASSCE 2023 History
Teachers preparing students for any examination are always worried about the potential weaknesses in answers that their students will provide during the examination. Fortunately, the main examining body, the West Africa Examination Council always provide WASSCE candidates’ weaknesses in History during the last held examination.
WAEC Summary of 2021 WASSCE History Paper Two (2)
A. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTH
(i) COHERENT ANSWERS: An encouraging number of candidates wisely did some planning before writing their answer. Such planned answers flowed in logical and coherent order. Teachers should encourage this practice for it makes the reading, assessment and award of marks clear and fair. But candidates should cross out such plan/rough work because they do not intend them to be part of their final answers.
(ii) RELEVANCE: An appreciable number of candidates did marvellously well by presenting their points with cogent and logical examples especially for questions 1, 4, 8 and 9 and obtaining high marks.
B. A SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES
(i) LEAVING BLANK LINES: Still some and quite an appreciable number of candidates leave blank lines or spaces in presentation of their points instead of presenting each point in a paragraph.
(ii) ALL POINTS IN ONE PARAGRAPH: Some also presented the points in one paragraph, thus making marking difficult since an examiner has to strain before awarding mark.
(iii) TENSES: Surprisingly, quite a number of candidates presented their answers in present tense instead of past tense, thus losing marks.
(iv) Section A of the history syllabus continue to remain a challenge to many history students. This is reflected in the weak manner candidates responded to questions posed in that section of the paper especially in questions 1, 2, and 3.
C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES
(i) In future, candidates should be taught about tenses to be used in presenting their points, since most of the events from which questions set took place in the past
(ii) Candidates can overcome the use of wrong words by cultivating the habit of reading magazines and story books and relevant literature. They should get good dictionaries to aid them get the meanings and correct usage of the words. They may also keep an inventory of such words and refer to them often when in doubt.
(iii) A careful and orderly arrangement of answers enhances accurate assessment. Candidates should therefore be advised to fully complete the answer to one question before they tackle the next. Where it becomes necessary to continue an answer to a question elsewhere, the examiner should be directed. Candidates are advised not to reserve pages or spaces for questions they are not ready to answer immediately.
(iv) Teachers should come up with a teaching method that will make the teaching and learning of this subject interesting and meaningful to the candidates.
WAEC Summary of 2020 WASSCE History Paper Two (2)
A. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTHS
(1) A few good candidates showed in-depth knowledge of the subject matter evidenced in the presentation of their work.
(2) There is much improvement in the clarity of thoughts and arrangements of facts and explanation of points raised.
(3) There is much improvement in the hand writing of candidates and spelling of key words.
B. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES
(1) Many candidates did not understand the demands of the questions which led to them deviating in their presentation.
(2) It is important to note that some candidates continue to answer more questions than required and also select questions from other member countries which they felt could easily be answered thereby disregarding the rubrics.
(3) Raising of good points without explanation was a major concern in candidates’ work.
(4) Candidates spent a lot of time and emphasis on one question to the neglect of the others.
C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES
(1) Approved textbook: Candidates are advised to read the approved textbooks and other relevant literature to get the right facts and information needed.
(2) Candidates should be encouraged to follow the rubrics that govern the paper.
(3) Teachers should come up with a teaching method that will make the teaching and learning of this subject interesting and meaningful to the candidates.
(4) Candidates should read a lot of books on the subject to improve on their vocabulary.
(5) Teachers are encouraged to make the teaching of the subject lively in order to arouse the interest of the students.
(6) Teachers are also admonished to adopt the project work approach to whip up the interest of students in researching on topics to present in class thereby increasing their knowledge base on the subject.
(7) Candidates are also admonished to read the recommended textbooks and literature to get the right information related to the subject. There is the need to admonishes students to read more to improve on their vocabulary.
WAEC Summary of 2019 WASSCE History Paper Two (2)
A. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTH
(i) A good number of candidates planned and presented their essays well indicating clear understanding of the subject matter.
(ii) Candidates have improved upon their writing skill and grammar.
(iii) The rubrics of the paper was adhered to and essays of candidates clearly written.
B. A SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES
(i) Many candidates provided wrong historical facts to support answers given.
(ii) Candidates spent a lot of time and emphasis on one question to the neglect of the others.
(iii) Scattered answers: some candidates wrote the answer to one question on other pages without any indication to examiners to continue marking and undertaking their assessment on those pages as well.
(iv) Inability of candidates to expound on the points they raised.
C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES
(i) Approved textbook: Candidates are advised to read the approved textbooks and other relevant literature to get the right facts and information needed.
(ii) Adherence to Rubric: It does not pay to answer more questions than necessary and exhibit little knowledge on each of them in an examination. The rubrics indicate four questions; nothing more, nothing less. This will allow more time to make minor corrections.
(iii) Systematic Arrangement: It is important to remind the candidates to arrange their answers in an orderly manner so that their answers to one question are not spread over several pages. Pages should not be reserved for questions they are not ready with their answers.
(iv) Apportion time: Candidates should be encouraged to apportion the time equally for each question allotted for the paper to address all questions well.
(v) Expounding of points: Candidates should learn to expound on the points they raised where required in order to attract sufficient marks
WAEC Summary of 2018 WASSCE History Paper Two (2)
A. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTHS
(1) A handful of candidates provided answers in good English language and accurate spelling.
(2) An appreciable number of candidates wrote legibly and arranged their points in paragraphs which made the scripts very easy to mark.
(3) An appreciable number of candidates adhered to the rubrics.
B. A SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES
(1) Many of the candidates were not able to express themselves well in the English Language making it difficult for them to articulate their points well.
(2) It is important to note that some candidates continue to answer more questions than required and also select questions from other member countries which they felt could easily be answered thereby disregarding the rubrics.
(3) Scattered Answers: Some candidates did spread their answers to a question on several pages without alerting examiners to the pages.
(4) Some candidates spent a lot of time and emphasis on one question to the neglect of the others.
(5) Majority of candidates showed shallow knowledge of the subject matter by writing on issues not related to the task.
(6) Majority of the candidates were not able to spell correctly names of prominent men in history, historical towns, articles of trade, and ethnic groups, among others.
C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES
(1) Approved textbooks: Candidates are advised to read the approved textbooks and other relevant literature to get the right facts and information needed.
(2) Adherence to Rubrics: It does not pay to answer more questions than necessary and exhibit little knowledge on each of them in an examination. The rubrics indicated four question, nothing more, nothing less. This will allow more time to make minor correction
(3) Systematic Arrangement: It is important to remind the candidates to arrange their answers in an orderly manner so that their answers to one question are not spread over several pages. Pages should not be reserved for questions they are not ready with their answers.
(4) Apportion time: Candidates should be encouraged to apportion the time equally for each question allotted for the paper so as to address all questions well.
It is the hope of our team that candidates will perform better when teachers and candidates go through this summary of strengths, WASSCE candidates’ weaknesses in History and remedies and apply same
Source: waecgh.org
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