UG Lecturer Criticises BECE Over Use of King Paluta’s Aseda Song in Exam Question
Dr Paul Kwame Butakor, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, has criticised the inclusion of King Paluta’s Twi song Aseda in this year’s BECE, calling it culturally biased and unfair to non-Akan-speaking students. He argued that using a Twi-language song could disadvantage students due to language barriers. WAEC’s Public Affairs head, John Kapi, responded that schools had been provided with all relevant materials but acknowledged teachers’ concerns about curriculum alignment with exam questions.
By Joylinda Laryea / June 23, 2025
Dr Paul Kwame Butakor, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, has raised concerns over the inclusion of King Paluta’s Twi-language hit song Aseda in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). He described the decision as “culturally biased” and unfair to non-Akan-speaking candidates.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Dr Butakor, an expert in assessment and evaluation, argued that the use of the Twi-dominated song in the Music and Creative Arts paper could disadvantage students who do not understand the language. “If you don’t understand the Twi, you can’t answer this question. The child may fail, not because they lack knowledge, but because of a language barrier,” he said.
The controversial Question 4(c) asked candidates to identify two major social issues addressed in Aseda. Dr Butakor questioned the educational value of the item, stating, “What exactly is the important issue in Ghanaian society that this question serves?”
Responding to the criticism, Mr John Kapi, head of Public Affairs at WAEC, explained that materials related to the exam content had been provided to schools ahead of time. However, he admitted that many teachers have raised concerns about misalignment between the curriculum and examination questions.
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