Accra: A quiet revolution is unfolding in Ghana’s classrooms. With the introduction of the Student Transcript Portal (STP), assessment in Senior High Schools (SHS) is shifting from measuring memorisation to capturing a learner’s full educational journey – how they think, collaborate, and apply knowledge to real-life situations.
According to Ghana News Agency, this forms part of the new SHS curriculum, developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and the Ghana Education Service (GES), which took off at the start of the 2024/2025 academic year. The Director-General of NaCCA, Professor Samuel Bekoe, explains that it was designed to equip learners with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and digital literacy, while promoting core Ghanaian values and inclusivity.
He emphasises that this transformation can only be fully realised if assessment systems evolve beyond the narrow confines of end-of-term examinations. At the heart of that evolution is the Student Transcript System, a centralised digital repository that provides a comprehensive record of a learner’s academic progress and personal development.
The portal captures learner bio-data, semester and subject information, assigned classes, continuous assessments, credits, grades, Grade Point Averages (GPAs), and Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPAs). It also includes a qualitative section that records descriptions of students’ character and attitudes towards learning over time.
For learners, the STP has become a motivation tool. It rewards consistency and participation, as every project, portfolio, and class activity contributes to one’s academic profile. It encourages commitment and curiosity, moving students away from the old ‘chew, pour, pass, forget’ approach that has long defined the country’s examination culture.
Parents, too, will find the STP to be an empowering window into their children’s progress. Instead of relying solely on report cards, they now gain a more holistic view of their wards’ strengths, weaknesses, and learning habits. They can see not only test scores but also evidence of teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and class participation – attributes that were previously invisible.
Teachers and schools are equally benefiting. The STP provides clear assessment rubrics and technology-enabled tools to support fairer evaluations. With structured systems for internal and formative assessments, teachers can now tailor instruction to meet diverse learner needs, including students with disabilities or special learning requirements.
For tertiary institutions and future employers, the portal offers a rich dataset that captures both academic and character development. Admission officers and recruiters can access insights into a student’s integrity, teamwork, creativity, and leadership potential, giving them a more complete picture of each applicant’s readiness for higher education or the workplace.
Representing the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Mr Lawrence Dogbatse, Deputy Registrar, explains that the new SHS assessment framework reflects WAEC’s commitment to reforming traditional testing methods. He notes that while WAEC continues to conduct final examinations, its approach has evolved to focus on higher-order thinking. According to him, only 30 per cent of current exams now measure factual recall, with 70 per cent devoted to evaluating critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving abilities – in alignment with the objectives of the STP.
From the policy perspective, Mr Prince Agyemang-Duah, Director of Schools and Instruction at the Ghana Education Service (GES), indicates that learning is about more than memorising facts. He explains that the STP allows schools to document how students think, collaborate, and apply their knowledge.
‘It ensures that learners are recognised for the full range of their efforts,’ he emphasises, adding that such recognition is essential for nurturing confident, competent, and future-ready graduates. Beyond the technology, the STP represents a philosophical shift in how Ghana values education. The new curriculum promotes a balanced approach to assessment – combining formative exercises such as portfolios, projects, and classroom performance with summative tasks, including end-of-term and external examinations. This balance ensures that learning outcomes reward effort, creativity, and growth alongside academic mastery.
Expectedly, implementing the system comes with challenges – digital infrastructure, teacher retraining, and data protection remain critical areas to strengthen. Yet the potential gains are immense: fairer evaluations, inclusivity, richer learning records, and a culture that celebrates critical thinking over rote repetition.
As Ghana continues to build a globally competitive education system, innovations such as the Student Transcript Portal signal a decisive turn towards meaningful learning. It is more than an assessment reform – it is a redefinition of what it means to be educated in the 21st century. In the words of education experts, the STP marks the dawn of a new era where students are not merely tested on what they remember, but recognised for who they are becoming – thinkers, innovators, and citizens ready to shape the future.