Predictive Value of Basic Education Certificate Examination Results on Senior Secondary Certificate Examination Performance in Delta Central Senatorial District, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract This study investigated Basic Education Certificate Examination as predictors of Senior Secondary Certificate Examination in Chemistry particularly in Delta Central. Two research questions and two hypothesis guided the study. The research is a correlational study that employed the expost factor research design. The population comprised 16,869 students who sat for the BECEIN 2019/2020 and 15,115 students who sat for NECO Examination in 2022/2023 in Delta Central public secondary schools, with a sample size 370 students who sat for BECE in 2019/2020 and SSCE-NECO in 2022/2023 academic session in Delta Central. The instrument used for data collection was the BECE scores in Chemistry. The data obtained were analyzed with Pearson Coefficient of determination for the research questions and regression statistics for the hypotheses, at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that a negative relationship existed between BECE and SSCE in Chemistry and for females a negative relationship existed between BECE and SSCE. It was concluded that BECE cannot predict SSCE in Chemistry, and gender does not moderate the prediction of BECE and SSCE in Chemistry. It was recommended among others that the BECE curriculum should be reviewed in line with the SSCE syllabus in the various subjects and in line with the provisions of the National Policy of Education