Nacia Educational Centre in Awutu Ayiresu in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region has recorded a 100% success rate in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), with all seven candidates presented by the school successfully passing the examination.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for the school, which was established on September 4, 2017, with the simple aim of helping children learn how to read and write.
Of the seven candidates who sat for the 2026 BECE, four recorded an aggregate score of 6, while the remaining three obtained an aggregate of 7.
The school also recorded impressive individual performances. Eric Arhin obtained an aggregate of 6, with eight ones in 10 subjects. Bernard Gyansah, Blessing Tawiah and Emmanuel Awudjah also obtained impressive aggregates, with each recording seven ones in 10 subjects.
For Nacia Educational Centre, the result is particularly significant because it was the school’s first batch to sit for the BECE.
From a simple idea to a growing school
The story of Nacia Educational Centre began with its founder, Mr Nathaniel Aidoo, who noticed a serious challenge in his community.
According to the school, Mr Aidoo once attended a funeral where he noticed that none of the attendees was able to write the funeral donations. The experience made him realise how difficult it was for people in the area to read and write, motivating him to establish a school to help address the problem.
Mr Aidoo attended Ayiresu D/A Basic School before completing his JSS education in 1997. He later attended Obrachire Senior High Technical, completing his studies in 2000.
After senior high school, he worked as a pupil teacher at Mfadwen St. Ann’s Anglican Basic School. He later obtained a Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast in 2011.
Beyond education, Mr Aidoo served as an Assemblymember for the Mfadwen Pobee Ayiresu Electoral Area from 2014 to 2023. He currently serves as the Personal Assistant to the District Chief Executive for the Awutu Senya West District.
When Nacia Educational Centre started, it had just seven learners and two facilitators. The school initially operated on the premises of The Church of Pentecost at Awutu Ayiresu.
The journey, however, was not without challenges.
The school faced discouragement from some members of the community, lack of funds, inadequate facilitators and difficulties transporting learners.
Management said perseverance, support from teachers, friends and family members, as well as financial support from financial institutions, helped the school overcome some of these difficulties.
A learner-centred approach
Nacia Educational Centre says its approach to teaching places learners at the centre of the learning process.
The school describes its environment as serene, with a cordial relationship between teachers, students and management.
Its mission is to create a dynamic learning community that encourages exploration,
creativity and innovation while preparing students to become adaptable, resilient and thoughtful citizens who can make a positive impact in their communities.
Its vision is simple: “Nurturing curious minds, sparking creativity.”
The school also places emphasis on discipline, raising God-fearing children, innovation and leadership.
According to management, the school recognises that learners have different abilities and interests. This has influenced its decision to give attention not only to academics but also to activities such as sports, arts, leadership and other extracurricular areas.
“Not all learners are academically good and are good at other activities,” the school explained.
Preparing the first BECE batch
The seven students who made up Nacia Educational Centre’s first BECE batch were identified as the school’s first candidates in 2023 when they were in Basic 6.
Management admitted that the students were not all academically strong at the beginning. However, the school introduced measures to support them and improve their academic performance.
Preparation for the BECE was intensive.
The learners were camped at the school, where they received lessons at dawn, in the morning, and in the evening. They also wrote several mock examinations, with each examination thoroughly discussed afterwards.
Students who needed additional academic support were given special time by their teachers.
The school said the learners were also encouraged daily to give their best, which helped build their confidence and motivation.
Despite the demanding preparation, management said it never became worried about the students’ eventual performance.
The result appears to have justified that confidence.
Seven candidates, seven passes
The school’s founder was at home when he received the results.
“I was highly delighted,” he said.
The students were equally excited when they discovered that every candidate had passed, while teachers and parents were also described as being happy with the outcome.
For the school, the achievement is a reflection of the commitment shown by both teachers and learners throughout the preparation period.
Management identified teacher dedication, the students’ readiness to learn, sleepless nights, and the writing and detailed discussion of several mock examinations as some of the key factors behind the success.
The school believes that its approach of “teaching wholeheartedly” also contributed to the result.
A milestone for the founder
For Mr Aidoo, the result represents one of the most rewarding moments since he established Nacia Educational Centre.
He said the school’s first BECE success has left him “highly delighted”, adding that he had always believed the school could reach such a milestone.
However, despite the challenges faced, the founder says the achievement has not changed the school’s original vision.
Instead, it has reinforced his belief in the power of determination and hard work.
“With determination and hard work and God’s grace, everything in education is possible,” he said.
The school also hopes its achievement will inspire other schools, teachers, parents and students within the Awutu Senya West District.
Mr Aidoo said he was particularly excited that a school established barely nine years ago had been able to produce such an excellent result on its first appearance at the BECE.
Looking to the future
Nacia Educational Centre is already looking beyond the 2026 achievement.
The school plans to put up more facilities to accommodate more students seeking admission. It also intends to acquire a bigger bus to help transport learners in and around the district.
Management says it has plans to expand its facilities, academic programmes and student population.
For future BECE candidates, the target is clear: maintain the standard set by the 2026 group.
The school hopes that within the next five to ten years, Nacia Educational Centre will become “one of the best educational centres in the country” in terms of academic excellence, facilities and the development of generational leaders.
For parents considering the school for their children, management describes Nacia Educational Centre as “a school you can trust in academics and everything your child needs.”
And for its current students, the message is equally direct: learn hard, remain committed to their books, stay ready to learn and be obedient.
For Nacia Educational Centre, the first BECE batch has not only produced an excellent result. It has also set a standard the school now hopes future generations will maintain.
