When one subject blocks a dream: rethinking higher education access, pathways, and gatekeeping in Ghanaian core curriculum

This study examines the dual role of Ghana's core subjects, English, Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Social Studies, as both foundations for learning and barriers to tertiary education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions involving students resitting core subjects, teachers, parents, and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) officials. The analysis draws on Gatekeeping Theory, which explains how educational thresholds regulate access to valued opportunities, and Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory, which recognises diverse abilities beyond conventional academic measures. The findings reveal that core subjects function as institutional filters that regulate access to higher education. Although intended to ensure academic preparedness, they may exclude capable learners whose strengths lie outside these subject areas. English is perceived as both an academic necessity and a social filter that shapes opportunity. Mathematics is valued for its cognitive benefits but imposes emotional and structural burdens, particularly on non-STEM learners. Integrated Science is considered misaligned with some learners' aspirations, while Social Studies provides a comparatively supportive pathway that strengthens confidence. Institutional perspectives from WAEC and the Ghana Education Service affirm the importance of core subjects while acknowledging their unintended exclusionary effects. The study argues for recalibrating educational gatekeeping to maintain academic standards while promoting inclusion. It recommends differentiated assessment, multilingual instruction, and greater recognition of diverse learner abilities. By highlighting tensions between standardisation and inclusion, the study contributes to debates on educational equity, curriculum reform, and the development of inclusive pathways to tertiary education in Ghana.