Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Ralph Poku-Adusei, has highlighted a reported improvement in the constituency’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) performance, with the overall best aggregate moving from 18 in the 2024/2025 academic year to 6 in 2025/2026.

The improvement follows the introduction of the School Starter-Pack Scholarship (SSPS) and the reintroduction of the School Performance Appraisal Meeting (SPAM), which the MP says were designed to address challenges identified in the municipality’s education sector.

For more than six years, the Bekwai Municipality had experienced concerns over declining academic performance. The situation became particularly significant in the 2024/2025 BECE when the overall best aggregate from a public school was recorded as 18.

Concerned about the trend, Mr Poku-Adusei initiated a stakeholders’ engagement in early 2025 involving the Bekwai Municipal Education Directorate, parents, teachers, circuit supervisors, civil society organisations and students.

The engagement sought to identify the factors contributing to the decline and resulted in the reintroduction of SPAM across all 10 Educational Circuits in the constituency.

The appraisal identified parental apathy, teacher motivation and supervision gaps, student indiscipline and low self-esteem, inadequate teaching and learning materials, limited healthy competition among students and weak linkages between the Education Directorate and schools as some of the challenges affecting educational outcomes.

The MP subsequently introduced SSPS as a merit-based intervention aimed at rewarding academic excellence and encouraging students to improve their performance.

Under the programme, the best graduating candidate from every public and private school in each community is selected by the Municipal Education Directorate based on their BECE aggregate.

Where students record the same aggregate, their raw scores are used to determine the final beneficiary.

The standard SSPS package for 2026 includes a Mackintosh mattress, pillow, plastic provibox and suitcase, which the MP says are GES-approved and certified against bedbugs.

The programme has also introduced additional recognition for exceptional performers.

Five students were selected as the overall best candidates in the 2026 edition. They are Miss Owusu Adwoa Serwaa of Dominase M/A JHS, who recorded Aggregate 7; Master Yamoah Bordom Benjamin of Bekwai APS JHS, who recorded Aggregate 8; and Miss Appiah Kubi Annabella and Master Frimpong Owusu Emmanuel of Amazing Grace JHS, who both recorded Aggregate 6.

Master Kingsley Owusu of Dominase M/A JHS was recognised as the Best PWD Student.

The overall best winners received mattresses, proviboxes, pillows, suitcases and laptops, while the PWD beneficiary received an additional educational scholarship of GH¢2,000 per term from the MP throughout Senior High School.

According to the MP, the latest results indicate that academic excellence is becoming increasingly competitive across the constituency.

Senfi Methodist JHS recorded Aggregate 8, Ofoase-Kokobin M/A recorded Aggregate 10, Poano recorded Aggregate 9 and Abodom Methodist recorded Aggregate 8. Perfect and Amazing Grace also recorded Aggregates 7 and 6 respectively.

Mr Poku-Adusei has attributed the improvement to the combination of academic incentives under SSPS and the accountability mechanism provided by SPAM.

He said SPAM allows the performance of students and teachers to be assessed while also examining the role of parents and Education Directorate officials, with SSPS providing incentives for students to pursue better academic outcomes.

The MP has also announced plans to introduce a Best Teacher Awards Scheme to recognise teachers whose efforts contribute to improved academic performance.

A dedicated SSPS Board has been established to oversee the programme and ensure that its selection criteria, package and implementation are continuously reviewed.

Mr Poku-Adusei said the initiative would be sustained beyond his tenure as MP and would be expanded through partnerships with individuals and corporate organisations.

He said the vision for the third year was to support more students in each community and eventually recognise every student who records a single-digit BECE aggregate between 6 and 10.

“ We envisage a future where each student from Bekwai transitions not just into SHS, but into tertiary,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor the performance of these SSPS beneficiaries at the SHS level and ensure that in the next 5-10 years, Bekwai will have an increase in the number of doctors, engineers, teachers, security officers, nurses, businessmen and women, bankers, lawyers, pastors and other skilled professionals who are all indigenes of Bekwai, towards achieving the Self-Sufficient Constituency we have set as our mantra.”

The MP said the ultimate objective was to consolidate the gains made in education and build a constituency where academic excellence is encouraged, rewarded and sustained.