BECE Past Questions & Answers – 2015 (Religious & Moral Education-RME)

June 2015 (First Sitting)
Religious and Moral Education 2
Essay
SOLUTIONS

SECTION A
RELIGION

NOTE: Sample essays are not provided because some students tend to memorize them instead of using them as a guide, thereby promoting monotony in their essays and hence, negatively affecting their creativity.

1. (a) Explain four attributes of God from the Christian point of view [12 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain any four of these points)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
(i) Give general definition of Attributes of God
(ii) Give four(4) specific attributes of God such as
 Omnipotent,
 Omniscient,
 Omnipresent,
 All- Loving,
 Alpha and Omega,
 Dependable,
 Merciful / Gracious
 Creator
 Most holy/ righteous, etc
(iii) In separate paragraphs, define each of the four (4) attributes and explain in detail, giving examples.
For instance, Omnipotent God means God is all powerful. Therefore,
• God has all the power to do whatever he decides.
• His power is unlimited and everlasting
• His power controls the entire world.
• Whatever He says happens
• He is the maker of the world and He is the one who will end it.

(b) Outline four ways Christians demonstrate the attributes of God in their lives [8 marks]

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
Define the Attributes of God and give examples (at least two)
Explain how Christians demonstrate each one of the four attributes of God you chose in four paragraphs.

(i) Omnipresent God means God is everywhere and can see everything.
Therefore Christians try to
• do the right thing wherever they are, since God can see them.
• speak the truth and be at right places all the time
• be sincere to God especially concerning their sins and worries
• communicate with Him (by prayer) wherever they find themselves.
• avoid doing bad things like gossip, lies, stealing, etc

(ii) Merciful / Compassionate – This means God forgives us and gives us what we do not even deserve
Christians therefore try to
• be merciful to (forgive) others,
• tolerate the negative behaviours of others.
• be gracious to others – offer help to those who may not even deserve it.

(iii) Creator – This means God is the originator (maker) of everything. And He has given us the power to invent so many things out of His creation.
Christians therefore try to
• be innovative and creative
• offer solutions to problems within their environment
• preserve the things that God has created, such as rivers, trees, wildlife, etc.

(iv) Love – This means that God has strong affection for us and therefore does all things for us to live well.
Christians therefore try to
• love others, just as God has loved them
• offer help to everyone, including even strangers
• sacrifice their time, energy, possessions, etc, for the sake of others who might need them

(v) Most Holy / Righteous – This means that God has no sin in Him.
Christians therefore try to
• be righteous in all ways – do the right things at the right time, in the right way and under the right circumstances.
• avoid temptations or situations that can lead to temptations.

(vi) Protector – This means God shields us from danger.
Christians therefore try to
• protect the vulnerable in the society like the orphans, widows and the destitute.
• defend the cause of the voiceless in society

2. (a) Explain any four of the five pillars of Islam [12 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain any four of these points)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY

Pillars of Islam are a set of beliefs and practices performed by Muslims. They are five in all.

(i) Kalimat Ush Shahadah
 This is the declaration that Allah is the only true God and Mohammed is His messenger.
• It is the first Pillar of Islam.
• One can only become and remain as a Muslim only by declaring this faith
• It is repeated five times at the Islamic call to prayer
• A Muslim declares this when he or she wakes up and before he or she sleeps
• Shahadah allows a Muslim to declare to the whole world that there is only one God
• it also makes a Muslim remain faithful to Allah

(ii) Salat
• There are five daily prayers by Muslims. It is the second Pillar of Islam.
• Before salat is done one must perform ablution ( the ritual cleansing of some parts of the body like the hand, feet, face, etc with water). Tayammum is performed in the absence of water especially in the desert with fine dust.
• Salat consists of (Fajr-5:00am to 5:30am, Zuhr- 1:00pm to 1:30pm, Asr-3:00pm to 3:30pm, Magrib- 6:00pm to 6:30pm and Isha– 7:00pm to late night)
• It follows prescribed procedure and times. For example the Muslim must face the East “Qibla” and follow regulated postures like standing, sitting and kneeling
• Muslims can worship together in a mosque or as individuals anywhere. But it is believed that the prayers said at the mosques bring special blessings to them.
• Salat allows a Muslim to get blessings from Allah
• It also strengthens the spiritual bond between Allah and Muslims

(iii) Zakat-
• This is the act of giving alms to the poor and needy like orphans, the sick, the aged, the disabled men and women.
• It is the third Pillar of Islam.
• A wealthy Muslim must give at least 2.5% of his /her wealth to the poor.
• The items can be in cash or kind.
• Allah demands from every Muslim to do good to people, especially the poor and needy.
• It is believed by Muslims that it purifies the giver and drives away evil.
• Zakat unites the rich and the poor
• It reduces extreme poverty in the society
• It also reduces crimes which usually results from poverty.

(iv) Saun-
• This is fasting in the month of Ramadan for a period of about thirty (30) days.
• It is the fourth Pillar of Islam
• The Muslim must wake up early at dawn and take meals before sunrise and break the fast at 6:00 pm.
• Pregnant women, babies, menstruating women, travelers and very old people etc are exempted from this. Menstruating women must do it when their period ends.
• A Muslim during this period must refrain from some acts such as sex, fights, etc.
• It makes them calm and sober
• It also draws them to Allah

(v) Hajj-
• This is the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
• It is fifth Pillar of Islam.
• A Muslim is to embark on this journey at least once in a life time.
• At Mecca, the Muslim performs some ritual like going round the Ka’aba seven times and throwing stones.
• It increases a Muslim’s faith in Allah.
• It also brings special blessings from Allah.

(b) State four reasons why Muslims worship [8 marks]

(Note : Write complete and meaningful sentences)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY

(i) Islamic worship draws them to Allah
(ii) It paves way for Muslims to receive Allah’s blessings
(iii) It leads them to Heaven.
(iv) It makes Muslims live righteous lives
(v) It shows obedience to Allah.
(vi) It fosters unity among them.
(vii) It teaches Muslims Allah’s laws.
(viii) It drives evil away from them.

3. (a) Outline four aspects of the life of the following traditional leaders:

(i) Toha Zie [8 marks]

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
Define who a traditional leader is and give examples.
• TohaZie means the red hunter
• He is believed to have migrated from Tunga (east of Lake Chad) to Zamfara in northern Nigeria, through Mali
• He was a great warrior who fought in war with the Malian king.
• He married PagaWabga, one of the daughters of the Malian king.
• He is the ancestor who led the final southwestern migration from Bawku, at Ghana’s northeastern border, to present-day Dagbon.
• His grandson, NaaGbewaa, is considered the common ancestor of the Dagomba and two related groups, the Nanumba and the Mamprussi.
• His great grandson, Sitobu, NaaGbewaa’s son, is the father of Dagomba and the man who begat the royal lineage of the chiefs of Dagbon
• TohaZie is believed to have fired an arrow into a strange beast which had previously killed several people
• He risked his life to save his people

(ii) Togbe Tsali [8 marks]

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
Define who a traditional leader is and give examples
• He was a powerful traditional priest of the Anlo traditional area
• He was a member of the Tsiame royal clan
• His ancestral background could be traced to Notsie in between Togo and Benin
• He was a hunter and a farmer by profession
• He had no children
• He possessed many magical powers
• He used his many powers to cause King Agorkoli and his elders to fall into a deep sleep overnight
• He helped the Anlos to escape from King Agorkoli of Notsie; thus bringing freedom to his people
• He could cause rain to fall on only his farm
• He sacrificed his comforts for the sake of his people
• He built many shrines where his people consulted him for assistance
• Before his death, he removed his upper and lower jaws and instructed his people to use them as foundation stones to build two separate fetish houses (shrines) to his memory
• He was chopped into pieces and thrown into a river, but was later found loitering around the river
• A festival, Hogbetsotso, is celebrated in his honour
• He is now considered a god who is invoked and worshipped.

(b) What two moral lessons can be derived from the life of these leaders? [4 marks]

(State two lessons from each and explain in one sentence)
• Love
• Selflessness
• Sacrifice
• Patriotism
• Commitment
• Bravery / courage
• Kindness

SECTION B
MORAL LIFE
Answer one question only from this section

4. (a) Explain four ways by which one can demonstrate good dressing habit in school. [12 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain any four of these points)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
(Note: First define good dressing habit)

(i) Wearing the prescribed uniform for school
(ii) Wearing clean, unscented and neatly ironed uniform
(iii) Boys and girls tucking in their shirts and blouses (ie, the ones that must be tucked)
(iv) Wearing well-polished / well-cleaned footwear
(v) Combing / brushing one’s hair neatly
(vi) Putting on a pair of socks, if wearing shoes
(vii) Wearing belt, especially when belt holes are provided

(b) State four reasons why a student must dress well. [8 marks] (Note: Use complete and meaningful sentences)

(i) To gain respect and favour
(ii) To gain self-respect and confidence
(iii) To show modesty and good behaviour
(iv) To conform to the school rules
(v) To avoid punishment
(vi) To ensure total concentration in class
(vii) To gain good friends

5. (a) Explain four ways students show their commitment to their friends [12 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four(4) paragraphs to explain any four of these ways)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
Commitment to friends is giving oneself completely to one’s friend
Or Devoting oneself to one’s friends.

(i) Helping them understand topics treated in school.
(ii) Being friendly to them
(iii) Correcting them in love when they go wrong
(iv) Being tolerant with them
(v) Avoid teasing them
(vi) Defending them when they accused falsely
(vii) Being patient with them
(viii) Being honest to them
(ix) Not revealing their secrets that they have shared on a personal level

(b) Identify four reasons why one must be committed to friends [8 marks]

(Write a short essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain any four of these points)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
(i) To enhance our social life
(ii) To promote peace and unity among friends
(iii) To earn respect
(iv) To develop trust
(v) To give and get support from friends
(vi) To enhance good academic performance
(vii) To receive blessings from God

6. (a) Outline four reasons why bad deeds should be avoided [12 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain, with examples, any four of these reasons)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
First define bad deeds and give examples of bad deeds ( stealing, lying, examination malpractices, etc)
Bad deeds can lead to
 Punishment
 Retardation of personal growth and development
 Retardation of nation building
 Immorality in the society
 Disgrace and stigmatization
 Destruction of one’s future
 Shame and disgrace to the person and his family/ school/ church, etc
 Arrest, prosecution and imprisonment
 Punishment at home or at school
 Loss of friends / difficulty in getting good friends
 Low reputation
 Low productivity
 Health Problems / Infections and diseases
 Educational challenges
 Loss of skills and knowledge
 Poverty / financial difficulty
 Failure to achieve targets / objectives
 Death
 Unemployment
 Mob action / Lynching
 Broken homes
 Low self esteem
 Termination of education (dropping out of school)
 Spiritual weakness
 Depression / mental challenges

(b) State four causes of punishment in schools [8 marks]

(Note: Use complete and meaningful sentences)
(State and briefly explain)

a) Stealing
b) Fighting
c) Examination malpractices
d) Disrespect
e) Disobedience
f) Lateness to school
g) Excessive noise-making

SECTION C
SOCIAL LIFE
Answer one question only from this section

7. (a) Identify four ways money can be handled well [8 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain any four of these points)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
(i) Putting them into wallets or purses.
(ii) Holding the m with clean hands
(iii) Avoid writing on them
(iv) Keeping them straight all the time
(v) Ensuring that children do not handle money
(vi) Keeping money away from grease, oil, etc

(b) Explain four honest ways of earning money [12 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain any four of these points, giving relevant examples)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY
(Note: First define money and give some currencies you know)

(i) By working as an employee and receiving a salary
(ii) By engaging in an honest business venture
(iii) Receiving interests from savings
(iv) Receiving an inheritance
(v) By investing in treasury bills, stocks, shares, etc
(vi) Receiving gifts from loved ones

8. (a) Outline four reasons why Religious Youth Organizations are formed [12 marks]

(Write an essay in at least four (4) paragraphs to explain any four of these points, giving relevant examples)

SUGGESTED POINTS FOR YOUR ESSAY

(i) For the youth to become more knowledgeable in the scriptures
(ii) To help the youth to develop good religious values, attitudes and morals
(iii) To enhance the spiritual growth of the youth
(iv) For the youth to receive spiritual blessings, inner joy and satisfaction
(v) To give them the opportunity to develop their talents and potentials
(vi) To develop the leadership skills of the youth
(vii) To honour their religious leaders
(viii) To strengthen the commitment of the youth to the religion.
(ix) To help evangelize God or Allah’s message to the unbelievers

(b) State four moral teachings of Religious Youth Organizations [8 marks]

(Note: Use complete and meaningful sentences)
(State and explain briefly)

(i) Service to God and nation
(ii) Leading a disciplined life
(iii) Loving one’s neighbour as one’s self
(iv) Being law abiding
(v) Living a chaste life
(vi) Fostering unity and togetherness
(vii) Being patiotic
(viii) Honesty and sincerity
(ix) Perseverance
(x) Diligence / hardwork