A Letter to GES and WAEC on the Format of the English Language Examination Questions

Dear GES and WAEC,

They do not see the reason they should sit and learn the subject until their shirts are wet, just like they do to Science, Economics, Religious and Moral Education, Social Studies, History, Government, Twi, etc. To most of them, both at the basic and secondary levels, English Language as a subject is not to be learned and does not need much of their time. Well, probably, not their fault but that you, Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and your style of questions on the subject during exams.

We teach them the Word Classes and not much from that part directly drops, we stress ourselves on Phrases and Clauses and only one question from this part drops, even as a sub question under Comprehension.

After three years of worry and stress by teachers of English, the students will only wake up to; Idioms, Synonyms, Antonyms, Register, a bit of Tenses, and about three questions on Conjunctions and Prepositions on their question papers, a normal ritual they have come to observe, year-after-year.

Truth be told, this style is making students’ attitudes towards the study of English Language, a lackadaisical one. It has been a very boring one. Your style is not making the students good analysts of English Language but lazy ones.

I humbly draw your attention to the fact that your style has been a predictable one and does not agree greatly with your syllabus and textbooks provided for the subject.

They tell us even in the face that “English de3 Y3nnsua” (English Language is not to be learned) but it seems they are right because you have made it so.

The earlier you changed your style, the better for us all or better still, give us a syllabus that agrees with your style. It is indeed about time you changed your boring style.

Thank you.
A concerned Teacher of English Language.
By: myndfm.com