Note (F. Kröger): In the last years of the precedent mil-lennium the so-called PISA-report, which compared and evaluated the standards of school-education within Europe, shocked or relieved many teachers and educationalists. Representatives of those countries that did not come off well remarked that the tests and their results were based too much on the cognitive knowledge (i.e. knowing facts and data) of the pupils. The claim for cognitive knowledge plays certainly a great role in Ghanaian schools, and on this level the average standard can certainly keep pace with the demands of many European schools. (Some fields of learning, e.g. in “Technical Skills” can probably not be found in the curricula overseas).

More prolific than comparing Ghanaian with European schools would certainly be a confrontation of the conditions in Ghanaian schools of today and those of some decades ago. According to my own subjective impression (I taught at Sandema Boarding School in 1973 and 1974) the achievement level has increased immensely (cf. tasks and questions of the mock examination 1973).

The following tasks and questions, provided by Agoabe Anamogsi (Sinyangsa Junior Secondary School, Wiaga), may give us an insight into the high demands to pupils of class four. The reader might test himself how far he/she is able to answer the questions and solve the problems.

(The expected answers, as far as available, appear after the question or task in square brackets)

A) 2003

General Science: homework

• Name the first person to discover an atom [Lord Rutherford]

• Name 3 particles which make up an atom [proton, electron, neutron]

• Mention the excretory organs and state the waste material they excrete [lungs, kidneys, skin...]

Agriculture:

• Name 3 types of soil you know [sandy, clay, loam, salt]

• Differentiate between extensive and semi-extensive systems.

• Give the advantages and disadvantages of the deep litter system.

• Differentiate between major and minor nutrients [of the soil].

Technical Skills

• Give the full meaning of P.V.A. [Polyvinyle acetate]

• What forms the body of a paint? [pigment, drier, binder, medium thinning agent]

• What is the difference between a dot punch and a centre punch? [d.p.: pint angle 60°; c.p.: 90°]

• State the number of teeth per 25 mm for the rip saw.

Technical Drawing

• What angle is less than 360°, but greater than 180° [reflex angle]

Mathematics

• x+3y= 5; 7x-6y= 44

• The length of a spring when a mass of n kg is hung on it is L = (74+15n) mm. What is the length of the spring when a mass of 1.2 kg is hung on it? [L= 92 mm]

• Convert 344_five to number base 10. [=99]; 432_five to base 3 [=117]

• Kwesi is x years old now. If his age in 10 years will be four times his age of 5 years ago, how old is he now?

Social Studies

• Mention the 3 methods used in Ghana [for fishing]. [cast net, hook and line, trawling]

• Mention 3 reasons why people migrate from rural area to urban centres. [(a) no work in rural areas; (b) lack of development, (c) expensive tools and equipment for people to be used]

• What are the benefits of ECOWAS to member states? [free movement for trade, elimination of smuggling]

• What can you as a Ghanaian do to prevent disruption of law and order? - three points! (a) obeying the rules of the constitution, (b) free and fair elections, (c) a good and workable constitution

Religion and moral instruction

• What did God do on the seventh day of creation [heaven, earth, day and darkness and the sun]

• Which 3 religions do we have? [Christian religion, Islam, traditional religion]

• What is the difference of traditional religion as compared to the other two [has no founder]

• What are the causes of prostitution among girls?

Cultural Studies

• Everybody in the family who is not a member of the nuclear family is part of the...? (a) new family, (b) extended family

• What is the Bulsa name of the head of a family? (a) Abusuapayin, (b) yeri-yonu

English

• What is the opposite of: indifferent, melodious, renown, futile, successful, interesting, anonymosity?

B) 1973: Mock Examination, Form Four, Sandema Boarding School

Mathematics

• The sum of two numbers is 1870, and one of them is 1234. What is the other? a) 636, b) 646, c) 736, d) 3104, e) 756

• Kwame leaves home at 6.35 a.m. and arrives back at 5.50 p.m. How long is he away from home? a) 9 hrs. 55 min., (b) 10 hrs. 25 min., (c) 10 hrs. 45 min., (d) 11 hrs. 15 min., (e) 11 hrs. 35 min.

• Two thirds of a number is greater than 1/3 of the same number by 18. Find the number. (a) 6, (b) 9, (c) 12, (d) 48, (e) 54

• Kofi buys a bunch of bananas. He sells half of them to Kojo, gives 1/3 to Kwesi and keeps the remaining 4 for himself. How many did he buy? (a) 12, (b) 4, (c) 8, (d) 16, (e) 24

• At what rate per cent would Cedis 900 yield Cedis 108 simple interest in three years?

(a) 2%, (b)14%, (c) 4%, (d) 1/4%, (e) 3/4%

Geography

• Seasons are normally caused by the (a) existence of day and night, (b) moon and stars, (c) wind, (d) earth going round the sun, (e) appearing and disappearing of the moon

• The Ural mountains are in (a) Japan, (b) Russia, (c) Britain, (d) India, (e) Ceylon

• Which of the following statements are correct? (a) The earth rotates from west to east, (b) the earth rotates from east to west (c) the earth rotates on its orbit, (d) the earth completes a rotation in one year, (e) the earth rotates only during the night

English

Select... the word... that means nearly the same as the underlined word

• The workers demands have not been granted by their employers. (a) prayers, (b) claims, (c) commands, (d) pleadings, (e) orders

• Christmas is celebrated yearly. (a) naturally, (b) periodically, (c) annually, (d) fortnightly, (e) finally

• Dr. Emmanuel Kwegyir Aggrey of Africa was a great man. (a) strong, (b) kind, (c) huge, (d) famous, (e) loved

Choose the word or group of words which correctly and most suitably completes the following sentences.

• I found the saw where my father (.....) it. (a) has left, (b) would leave, (c) was leaving, (d) is leaving, (e) left

• I shall take my umbrella with me (.....) it rains. (a) however, (b) in case, (c) even though, (d) why, (e) after

History

• The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was between (a) Europe and West Africa, (b) North Africa and Europe, (c) East Africa and West Africa, (d) West Africa and America, (e) Europe and America

• The King who is regarded as the founder of the Persian Empire was (a) Xerxes, (b) Herodotus, (c) Cyrus, (d) Hanibal, (e) Pericles

• The mandated territories in Africa were created after (a) Word War I, (b) The Boer War, (c) World War II, (d) The South African War, (e) The Zulu War