Education Experts Back BECE Stanine Grading as Teacher Unions Demand Urgent Salary Adjustments

The Ghanaian education sector is currently navigating critical developments regarding both student assessment frameworks and teacher welfare. Dr. Peter Partey Anti, an education expert and Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST), has offered a professional endorsement of the Stanine Grading System used for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), describing it as a suitable mechanism for secondary school placement. Simultaneously, three major teacher unions—the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and PRETAG—have issued a joint demand for the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure the automatic salary placement of newly promoted staff.

In his evaluation of the BECE grading methodology, Dr. Anti emphasized that the Stanine system is effective because it prioritizes comparative ranking, which is essential for the placement of candidates into second-cycle institutions. However, he cautioned that the system requires periodic independent assessments to maintain fairness and accuracy. This call for reform comes amidst growing concerns from private schools regarding this year's results. Dr. Anti urged for greater transparency in grading and better alignment with current curriculum standards, suggesting that any claims of systemic disadvantages for private school candidates must be thoroughly investigated and backed by empirical evidence.

While student grading remains a point of academic discussion, the industrial front is facing pressure as teacher unions demand immediate administrative action. GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG have called on the GES to honor the automatic salary placement protocol that has been in place since 2020. The unions emphasized that newly promoted teachers should be transitioned to their correct grades and salary scales without delay, setting a deadline of August 31 for these adjustments to be finalized. They warned the government against making unilateral changes to existing promotion arrangements without exhaustive consultation with union leadership.

These two developments underscore a broader push for efficiency and transparency within Ghana’s educational infrastructure. Whether through the refinement of statistical differentiation in student grading or the prompt fulfillment of labor obligations to educators, stakeholders are calling for systems that are both credible and predictable. As the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service manage these priorities, the resolution of salary placement issues and the continued evaluation of the Stanine system will be pivotal in ensuring stability and quality across the nation’s schools.