WASSCE Candidates’ Weaknesses In Leather Work And Remedies | Extract From Chief Examiners Report Towards WASSCE 2023

WASSCE Candidates’ Weaknesses In Leather Work And Remedies | Extract From Chief Examiners Report Towards WASSCE 2023

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 Leather Work during the last held examinations.

WAEC Summary of 2021 WASSCE Leather Work Paper Two (2)

A. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTHS

The Chief Examiner commended candidates for their ability to:

• explain the Leatherwork terms demanded by question 2;
• list three leather products under religion, music and entertainment and industry;
• illustrate and describe how fasteners such as zipper, rivet, buckle and press stud are fixed on leather articles;
• discuss factors to consider when planning to host an exhibition.

B. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES

The Chief examiner identified the following weaknesses in the candidates’ scripts:

• some candidates were unable to state the significance of tanning hides;
• a few candidates had a challenged with the term ‘buffing’, they could not explain it as demanded by question 2;
• some candidates could not outline the characteristics and uses of leathers such as Chamois, Sole Leather, Reptile skins, Suede and Nappa;
• only a few candidates tackled question 4 and those who attempted it did not adequately answer the question.

C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES

The Chief Examiner suggested that:

• tutors should adopt the use of audio-visuals (especially when they are unable to carry-out practical due to inadequate resources) in teaching topics such as Tanning and the like, this will enable candidates to grasp the concepts better;
• candidates must ensure that they prepare amply for the examination – adopting topic mastering at the preparatory stage of pre-examination would not help them prepare fully for the examination;
• candidates must practice how to explain clearly their points with relevant examples and illustrations whenever it is necessary;
• candidates must read each question and ensure that they have understood the demands of the questions before they tackle them

WAEC Summary of 2020 WASSCE Leather Work Paper Two (2)

A. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTHS

The Chief examiner observed the following strengths in candidates’ responses:

(1) Quite a number of candidates conveyed their ideas with clear and good sentences with relevant examples to buttress their facts;

(2) Majority of the candidates were able to define the term ‘pelt’ as used in leatherwork;

(3) The effects of patenting and embossing to the surface appearance of leather were well answered by most candidates’;

(4) Most candidates were able to state the similarities and differences between leather and leatherette; embossing and carving; burnishing and lacquering; and split leather and skiver.

B. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES

The following were weaknesses identified in the candidates’ scripts:

(1) A few candidates could not define ‘pelt’ as demanded by question 1(a).

(2) Candidates had challenges in explaining how improper treatment of pelt can affect the finished leather products.

(3) Question 2, which seeks for political importance of leather and skins in the indigenous Ghanaian society, was poorly answered by candidates.

(4) Majority of the candidates defined when they were supposed to have described processes or operations involved in ‘eyeletting’, ‘rivetting’ and ‘handle fixing’.

(5) Candidates were unable to explain why direct and indirect risks can lead to the collapse of a business.

(6) Few candidates could not explain the term ‘fittings and dehairing’ as demanded by question 6 (b & c).

C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES

(1) Tutors/Candidates should seek for clarification of ‘term(s)’ from relevant sources of materials pertaining to leatherwork when they are in doubt. For instance, textbooks, syllabus, internet, magazines etc could be consulted.

(2) Tutors should set questions for class work, mid-term and mock exams to be tailored to application of concepts, rather than recalling of facts/concepts.

(3) Tutors should not hesitate, in inviting resource persons to help teach topics related to entrepreneurship and taking candidates on excursions to educative sites. These moves would enhance teaching-learning of concepts.

(4) Teaching and learning of Leatherwork should be more practicable. Candidates could easily answer question 3, if they have had hands-on-learning in fixing eyelets, rivets and handles.

(5) Candidates should be advised to spend enough time to read and understand questions very well before answering them.

WAEC Summary of 2019 WASSCE Leather Work Paper Two (2)

A. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTHS

(i) Quite a number of candidates exhibited adequate knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

(ii) Most of them presented their answers in an orderly manner.

(iii) Clear and concise sentences with relevant examples are commendable. This was peculiar to candidates who attempted questions 3, 4 and 5.

(iv) Few displayed good and legible handwriting.

(v) There has been improvement in the drawing skills of candidates – especially those who tackled question 5 and 6 supported their responses with illustrations.

B. SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES

The major weaknesses identified with candidates in this year’s scripts included the following:

(i) Lack of in-depth knowledge of the subject matter by some candidates;

(ii) Failure to adhere to rubrics which resulted in deviation, leading to low performance by some candidates;

(iii) Common grammatical errors, use of jargons, use of unacceptable terms, poor spellings are common features in candidate’s scripts;

(iv) Some topics in leatherwork syllabus, especially tanning agents, identification of tools and equipment, terminologies, etc. seem to have been neglected hence affecting the performance of candidates;

(v) A few candidates answered more than one question on a page, even though it is stated categorically that each question should be answered on a fresh page.

C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES

(i) Candidates should read extensively from relevant sources – textbooks, internet, syllabus, magazines, etc. This would enrich their knowledge/vocabulary both in leatherwork and have control over the English Language (expression and writing skills).

(ii) The rubrics for each question should be carefully adhered to the latter in order to avoid deviations. Teachers should encourage students to familiarise themselves with past questions in leatherwork before sitting for the WAEC, examination (WASSCE).

(iii) Also, candidates should read through the rubrics carefully, digest it before attempting to answer each question(s) selected.

(iv) Candidates should be exposed to the tanning agents, vegetable, chrome, acid, oil and the sources of the various liquors. Teachers must handle all topics in the syllabus in order not to disadvantage candidates. This is very important since they are not in control of which topics would be examined.

Also, candidates should request for the leatherwork teaching syllabus from their Departmental Heads, go through and alert their teachers on topics they are yet to cover.

(v) Candidates should avoid answering all the questions in order to concentrate on the stipulated number to give maximum attention to their selected choice

See also: WASSCE Candidates’ Weaknesses In Picture Making And Remedies | Extract From Chief Examiners Report Towards WASSCE 2023

WAEC Summary of 2018 WASSCE Leather Work Paper Two (2)

A. A SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ STRENGTHS

(1) Generally, there was improvement in the presentation of answers to questions.

(2) Candidates who had the flair for writing and drawing demonstrated their gifts appropriately.

(3) It was also observed that some candidates prepared very well for the examination and this was attested by how they marshaled their points and presented them on paper.

B. A SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES

(1) Lack of understanding the demands of the questions: some candidates did not understand the questions well they therefore could not answer them appropriately. For instance, question 1 (a & b) which was on the concept of “findings”, question 2 “carving” and question 6 “which was to compare uses of leather in pre-independence and post-independence”.

(2) Spelling mistakes: this was quite common, to the extent that even some of the words stated in the questions were spelt wrongly by some candidates. This made reading their scripts very difficult.

(3) Very poor handwriting leading to difficulty in reading and scoring of candidates’ scripts.

(4) Misunderstanding of terms: Candidates who answered question 3 misconstrued “pelt” with“rawhide”.

(5) Misplacing processes or procedures: This was observed in scripts of candidates who answered question 2 (b). Most candidates were not able to systematically outline the processes involved in leather carving.

C. SUGGESTED REMEDIES

(1) Candidates should be encouraged to prepare well for the examination, by studying their notebooks, textbooks and trying their hands on Leatherwork past questions.

(2) Tutors must endeavour to cover the entire syllabus and also set standard questions for both terminal and mock examination

(3) Candidates should be discouraged from using jargons used in sending messages via social media platforms; this will prevent them from using these same words which are not recognized in English Language. Also, tutors should encourage candidates to read novels and other educative books to improve upon their use of the English Language.

(4) Tutors (Form masters) should identify candidates with poor handwriting immediately they are admitted in SHS 1 and conduct writing exercises for such candidates.

(5) Tutors should properly teach topics like “findings”, “indigenous values of leather in Ghana”, and uses of leather.

(6) Tutors should make it a point to teach and make students aware of leatherwork terminologies.

It is the hope of our team that candidates will perform better when teachers and candidates go through this summary of strengths, WASECE candidates’ weaknesses in Leather Work and remedies and apply same

About Author

Educativenews

See author's posts