WAEC urges revival of reading culture in Ghanaian schools — MyJoyOnline
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has urged Ghanaian schools to restore a culture of regular reading among students and strengthen the training of English-language teachers. According to the council, these steps should help improve students’ performance in the subject.
As MyJoyOnline reports, John Kapi, head of WAEC’s Public Affairs Department in Ghana, said that regular reading helps students expand their vocabulary, construct sentences better, understand and analyse texts.
Reading practice
According to Kapi, schools should give students regular assignments based on texts they have read. In particular, he suggested asking students to write a one-page summary of what they have read. In his assessment, such exercises will enable teachers to assess students’ reading habits while also developing their ability to express themselves in English.
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The WAEC representative noted that reading is one of the main ways of mastering a language, and regular practice helps students improve their language skills.
Teacher training
Kapi also stressed that improving results cannot depend on students alone. He called for greater attention to teacher training, especially grammar instruction. In his view, educators should teach not only rules but also the practical use of language.
The statements came amid worsening English-language results in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in 2026. According to Kapi, the share of candidates who passed the subject fell from 69% in 2025 to 62.40% in 2026. The chief examiner’s report listed grammar, expressing ideas, spelling, text comprehension and analysis among students’ problems. Kapi added that overcoming these difficulties requires joint efforts by students, teachers and schools.
