BEC Needs To Get Its House In Order
Monitor Editor | Monday October 29, 2018 11:27
BEC is tasked with conducting school examinations and any other exam for the Ministry of Basic Education and issue certificates.
On its website the exam body clearly states that: “BEC’s key business activities include examinations and assessment policy and programme development, the conduct and regulation of national school examination programmes and the award of certificates for programmes in general education subsector”.
The education sector is the most important one, which actually has a critical bearing on the nation’s success. It is very important for the country’s education sector to ensure that both the standard of education provided, and the conduct of examinations meet international standards. Globalisation has not only opened up gates of opportunities, but also challenges many countries to strive towards competitiveness in the global market, something, which BEC should also strive to do.
The interaction and integration amongst people, companies and governments worldwide make it extremely important for us as a country to ensure that we are not left behind, and strive to be counted amongst the best in different sectors, including education.
BEC is no stranger to controversy, or complications with teachers engaged to mark examinations. BEC over the years has had a few share of tussles between them and teachers, who it had chosen to mark examinations. Most of the time these lead to unnecessary delays.
Currently, BEC seems to be in yet another stalemate with teachers following their decision to modify contracts given to markers, without their consent. This has resulted in BEC halting the marking of Commerce and Accounting papers. Home Economics moderators are also considering legal action against BEC, after it failed to honour contracts it had signed with them (moderators). The big questions is: Since BEC has run into these problems quite a few times over the years, how come they don’t seem to have any solution in sight.
BEC knows the time examinations commence on a yearly basis, so why can’t they do proper planning well in time and actually sign contracts they (BEC) know they will abide by? Had BEC and the teachers argued way before the marking started, they would have long resolved their issues.
It is important that our certificates are recognised in most parts of the world, for us to attain that competitive edge that we keep singing about. However, if we continue so unprofessionally, with sensitive issues such as school leaving examinations, then we can forget about that competitive edge that we keep glowing about.