Certificate Examination (BECE) predicts their performance in Chemistry in the Senior Secondary

Certificate Examination (SSCE) within the Vandeikya Education Zone. The study was guided by

three research questions and three null hypotheses. An ex-post facto research design was

employed. The population consisted of 4,875 students, while the sample comprised 488 Basic

Science students from the 2021 cohort and 488 Chemistry students from the 2024 cohort, all with

complete and verifiable examination records.

An inventory developed by the researchers was

used to systematically extract and organize performance data, serving as the primary instrument

for data collection. Regression analysis was conducted to answer the research questions and test

the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that performance in Basic

Science significantly predicted students’ performance in Chemistry at the SSCE level, accounting

for 48.0% of the variance (F(1, 486) = 145.415, p < 0.05). For male students, Basic Science

performance predicted 38.0% of the variance in Chemistry scores (F(1, 242) = 40.894, p < 0.05),

while for female students, the predictive power was even stronger at 55.9% (F(1, 242) = 109.973,

p < 0.05). Based on these findings, it was recommended that teachers and schools should

prioritize strengthening Basic Science instruction at the junior secondary level to provide a solid

foundation for students’ future success in Chemistry and other science subjects. Educators and

policymakers should also utilize BECE Basic Science results to identify students at risk of

underperformance and implement targeted academic support and interventions prior to their

progression to senior secondary school.