Writing exams from the blackboard in public basic schools must end, education policy group Africa Education Watch has urged, as it pushes for dedicated funding to support proper school-based assessments.

The group is calling on the Ministry of Education to introduce a specific budget line for school-based examinations, arguing that the current system leaves many schools—especially in deprived communities—unable to administer standard written tests.

Speaking at a press briefing on education policy monitoring outcomes on Tuesday, April 14, Executive Director Kofi Asare raised concerns about the lack of financial support for continuous assessment across the country.

According to him, the absence of dedicated funding has forced some schools into the unacceptable practice of conducting exams directly from the blackboard, denying pupils exposure to printed examination formats.

“The latent assumption that the capitation grant could finance school-based examination is unrealistic considering that parents were paying at least GH?20 for examination, an amount higher than the per capita capitation grant of GH?15.

The reality is that a lack of funds for school-based examination means many schools in deprived communities are writing examinations from the blackboard with zero exposure to printed paper examination.

This is unacceptable and must end. We call on the Ministry of Education to create a budget line for school-based examinations in public schools.”

Africa Education Watch maintains that without urgent intervention, disparities in assessment conditions will persist, undermining efforts to align classroom testing with the national curriculum and adequately prepare students for external examinations