These are areas candidates preparing for the upcoming Basic Education and Certificate Examination need to be studying on in order to pass their papers.
The 2021 BECE will start on Monday, November 15, 2021, and end on Friday, November 19, 2021.
These are areas one need to read on and prepare adequately before entering the examination hall.
The key subjects that you need to read on for the BECE 2021 are
- English Language
- Social Studies
- Integrated Science
- Mathematics
- Basic Design and Technology
- Information and Communication Technology
- Religious and Moral Education
- French
- Ghanaian Language and Culture
Now these are the examinable areas on each of these key subjects for BECE 2021
1, ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SYLLABUS TOPICS
Lexis and Structure
▪ Tenses
▪ Concord/Agreement
▪ Conditional Sentence
▪ Vocabulary e.g. Phrasal Verbs, General Vocabulary ▪ Passive and Active forms
▪ Direct and Reported Speech
▪ Question and Answer Tags
▪ Phrases and Clauses
▪ Idiomatic Expressions
▪ Parts of speech
Literature
▪ Basic characters/roles
▪ Themes
▪ Literary Devices – symbols, imagery etc
▪ Subject matter
▪ Setting
▪ Plot
Essay Writing
▪ Letters – formal and informal
▪ narrative/descriptive
▪ exposition(describing processes)
▪ speech
▪ argument/debate
▪ article
▪ report
▪ agenda
▪ minute writing
▪ letters to the press
The essay should not be less than 250 words.
Comprehension
Types of Passages
Concepts to be taught
▪ the use/meaning of certain words and expressions in relation to their context;
▪ the understanding of the whole or part of the passage.
Types of Passages
▪ Dialogue or conversation
▪ Narrative
▪ Descriptive
▪ Explanation of a process
▪ Giving directions or instructions
2, SOCIAL STUDIES
SYLLABUS TOPICS
The Environment
▪ The Environment and Environmental Problems
▪ Adolescent reproductive health
▪ Our Culture
▪ Mapping our environment
▪ Ghana, My country
▪ Natural features of the earth
▪ Population growth and development in Ghana
Governance, Politics and Stability
▪ Ghana as a nation
▪ Colonization and national development
▪ Independence and nationhood
▪ Citizenship and human rights
▪ Our constitution
▪ Law and order in our constitution
▪ Meaning and prevention of conflicts
▪ Ghana’s cooperation with other nations
▪ Government and society
▪ Promoting Political stability in Ghana
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
▪ The use of land in our community
▪ Our Natural and Human Resources
▪ Production in Ghana
▪ Managing your finance
▪ Tourism, Leisure and Development
▪ Education and Productivity
▪ Entrepreneurship
▪ Problems of development in Ghana
▪ Sustainable national development
▪ The youth and discipline
3, INTEGRATED SCIENCE
SYLLABUS TOPICS
DIVERSITY OF MATTER
▪ Introduction of Integrated Science
▪ General characteristics of matter
▪ Plants and Animals
▪ Measurement
▪ Density
▪ Soil
▪ Hazards
▪ Elements, Compounds and Mixtures
▪ Chemical compounds
▪ Metals and Non-Metals
▪ Acids, Bases and Salts
▪ Mixtures
▪ Water
CYCLES
▪ Flowering Plants
▪ Vegetative Crop Production
▪ Animal Production
▪ Fish Culture
▪ Carbon Cycle
▪ Climate
▪ Life Cycle of a Mosquito
SYSTEMS
▪ Respiratory Systems of Humans
▪ Farming Systems
▪ Reproduction and Growth In Humans
▪ Heredity
▪ Diffusion and Osmosis
▪ Circulatory System in Humans
▪ The Solar System
▪ Dentition in Humans
▪ Digestion in Animals
ENERGY
▪ Sources and Forms of Energy
▪ Basic Electronics
▪ Light
▪ Electrical Energy
▪ Heat
▪ Photosynthesis
▪ Food and Nutrition
INTERACTIONS OF MATTER
▪ Ecosystem
▪ Physical and Chemical changes
▪ Infections and Diseases
▪ Pests and Parasites
▪ Force and Pressure
▪ Machines
▪ Magnetism
▪ Technology and Development
▪ Machinery
▪ Entrepreneurship
4, MATHEMATICS
SYLLABUS TOPICS
▪ Sets
▪ Operations on Sets
▪ Properties of Natural Numbers
▪ Numeration System
▪ Operations on Whole Numbers
▪ Positive and negative Integers, Rational Numbers
▪ Common Fractions and Decimal Fractions
▪ Ratio and Proportion
▪ Percentages, Rates and Taxes
▪ Exponents (Indices)
▪ Collecting and Handling Data (Statistics)
▪ Probability
▪ Algebraic Expressions
▪ Linear Equations in One Variable
▪ Linear Inequalities in One Variable
▪ Mapping
▪ Number Plane
▪ Basic Solids
▪ Length and Area of Plan Figures
▪ Volume of Basic Solids
▪ Angles
▪ Right-Angled Triangle (Properties)
▪ Measurement of Capacity, Mass, Time and Money
▪ Rigid Motion
▪ Enlargement and Similar figures
▪ Constructions, Loci
▪ Vectors
▪ Investigation with Numbers
5, BASIC DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
SYLLABUS TOPICS
MATERIALS
▪ Metals:
Ferrous and non-ferrous
▪ Timber
▪ Building materials
▪ Abrasives
▪ Adhesives
▪ Finishes
▪ Plastics
TOOLS
▪ Safety precautions
▪ Measuring tools
▪ Setting-out and marking out tools
▪ Cutting tools
▪ Holding tools
▪ Removing and driving tools
▪ Striking tools
▪ Digging tools
▪ Laying tools
PROCESSES
▪ Moulding bricks
▪ Walling
▪ Fastenings
▪ Sheet metal work
BASIC ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS
▪ Basic Electrical circuits
▪ Basic Electronics circuits
TECHNICAL DRAWING
▪ Isometric Drawing
▪ Oblique Drawing
▪ Perspective Drawing
▪ Orthographic Projections
▪ Development of Prisms
▪ Development of Pyramids
6, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
SYLLABUS TOPICS
▪ Parts of a Personal Computer
▪ Basic Input and Output Devices
▪ Basic Storage Media
▪ Switching on/off the Personal Computer
▪ Graphical User Interface
▪ File and Folder Management
▪ Information Processing Cycle
▪ Health And Safety in Using ICT Tools
▪ Ethics In Using ICT Tools
▪ Integration of ICT into Education
▪ Basic Typing Skills Development
▪ Review of Mouse Skills
▪ Creating Word Processing Document
▪ Editing a Word Processing Document
▪ Formatting Text in Word Processing Document
▪ Toolbars
▪ The Use of Drawing Toolbar in Word Processing Document
▪ Inserting Pictures in a Word Processing Document
▪ Printing a Word Processing Document
▪ Creating a Word Processing Document
▪ Creating a File in Paint Application
▪ Internet and World Wide Web
▪ Tools Used to Access the Internet
▪ Using the Internet to Communicate
▪ Accessing and Sharing Information
▪ Search Engines
▪ Introduction to Spreadsheet Application
7, RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION
SYLLABUS TOPICS
RELIGION
▪ God, creation and His attributes.
▪ Religious Practices and their moral implications.
▪ Religious Personalities
▪ Religious Festivals
▪ Rites of Passage
Moral Life
▪ Manners
▪ Chastity and morality
▪ Moral teachings and commitment
▪ Reward and Punishment
▪ Decency and substance abuse
Social Life
▪ The family system
▪ Obedience
▪ Religious home and neighbourhood
▪ Work
▪ Money
▪ Time and Leisure
▪ Religious Youth Organizations
8, FRENCH
SYLLABUS TOPICS
Structural Items
Idiomatic expressions and other fixed expressions such as
“venir de + infintif, avoir + faim/soif/âge, combien de + le pluriel” etc. Vocabulary
∙ Professions
∙ Parts of the body
∙ Days of the week/ months of the year/ time & date
∙ Parts of building
∙ Games/hobbies
∙ Means of transport
∙ Clothing
∙ The weather
∙ Sports
∙ Geographical places
Comprehension
Should indicate Types of Passages and Concepts to be taught. Grammar
▪ Verbs;
▪ Tenses
▪ Le présent
▪ Le future
▪ Le passé
▪ L’imparfait
Subject/verb agreement.
▪ Pronouns
▪ Adjectives
▪ Adverbs
▪ Articles
▪ Preposition
▪ Negations
▪ Gender
Essay – Guided Essay-writing
Emphasis on:
∙ Content – 20 marks
∙ Grammar – 10 marks
∙ Overall Expression – 5 marks
∙ Clarity – 5 marks
NB: As much as possible the essay should be communication-oriented, for example, writing postcards, letters, news items (“faits divers”).
STRUCTURE AND SCHEME OF THE EXAMINATION
There will be two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, both of which must be taken. The Papers will be combined and taken at one sitting.
Paper 1
The Paper will consist of 40 multiple choice objective questions covering lexis, structure and comprehension, all of which must be answered in one hour for 40 marks.
Paper 2
The Paper will consist of two guided essays and candidates will be required to answer one. The questions may require picture description, letter writing, narration or description. The paper shall last 45 minutes and carry 40 marks.
9, GHANAIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
SYLLABUS TOPICS
Customs and Institutions
▪ Greetings and Responses
▪ Naming Systems and Ceremonies
▪ Kinship Terms
▪ Annual Festivals
▪ The Clan System
▪ Commitment
▪ Puberty Rites
▪ Gratitude and Appreciation
▪ Taboos
▪ Death and Funeral Rites
▪ Marriage and Divorce
▪ Tradition: Chieftaincy and Governance
▪ Traditional Judicial Procedures
▪ Traditional Costumes
▪ Contemporary Social Problems
Oral and Written Literature
▪ Introduction to Literature
▪ Characteristics of Oral Literature
▪ Characteristics of Written Literature
▪ Proverbs
▪ Non-Verbal Communication: Body Language
▪ Symbols and their Meanings
▪ Riddles and Puzzles
▪ Folktales
▪ Work songs and Play songs
▪ Dirges
Essay Writing
▪ Narrative
▪ Descriptive (e.g. Giving Directions)
▪ Expository
▪ Argumentative
▪ Letter Writing
The essay should not be less than 150 words.
Comprehension
Prose passage which will be about 250 words, on (outline concepts and types of passages). Lexis and Structure
Vocabulary
▪ Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
▪ Synonyms
▪ Antonyms
Structures
▪ Parts of Speech: Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Adverbs, Adjectives, Conjunctions, Emphatic Particles, Determiners and Post Positions.
▪ Punctuation
▪ Linkers
▪ Prefixes and Suffixes
▪ Sentence Structure – Identification of Phrases, Clauses, Subjects, Objects.