The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), last Thursday, officially announced the results of its maiden Professional Marketing Qualification (PMQ) examinations, which was held in the December 2021 exam window.

Altogether, 91 candidates from two, out of the existing 10 Accredited Study Centres (ASCs), namely, the Ghana School of Marketing and the University of Professional Studies, Accra, wrote the maiden examinations. 

It will be recalled that the CIMG, in April 2021, unveiled Ghana’s first-ever Professional Marketing Qualifications at a colourful ceremony held at the plush auditorium of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) campus, which attracted over 200 guests physically with more than 300 virtual audiences.

In his opening remarks at a media briefing ceremony organised by the CIMG to announce the results, the National President, Dr D. Kasser Tee, expressed his delight at the general performance of candidates, indicating that the Institute had recorded highly impressive average pass rate in 8 out of the total of 11 modules written in the December 2021 exams.

Dr Kasser Tee said, “From the 11 courses mounted, a high pass rate was achieved in 8 while low pass rates were realised in the other 3. We have noticed, with some disappointment that the poor performing areas were at the foundation stage, affecting mainly Fundamentals of Marketing and Buyer Behaviour at the entry level (Pathway 1) with an average pass rate of a mere 16%.

"Performance in Sales and Sales Management, also a foundation stage course at Pathway 3, was equally relatively bad, with only 22% pass rate. With the exception of these, performances for the remaining 8 courses were very impressive, considering that this was the maiden exams with no past questions, no chief examiners report, among other things.

"The average pass rate of these 8 courses was a remarkable 82%, comprising one paper at Pathway 2, three papers at Pathway 3 and four papers at Pathway 5,”.

He further indicated that CIMG’s standards and expectations from the ASCs will continue to be under serious and constant scrutiny as part of the Institute’s periodic audit and assessment of centres.

This, he indicated, serves as a signal to all ASCs to examine the level of preparedness of prospective students for the foundation courses before enrolment, as such candidates form the bedrock upon which excellent professional Marketers will be developed.

“We will continuously engage all centres to collectively agree on measures to fine-tune the mode of delivery and the calibre of Tutors selected for these programmes”, emphasised Dr Kasser Tee.

He expressed the Institute’s excitement about the successful conduct of the maiden examinations, saying; “Our ability to organise the December examinations successfully without any hitches creates some excitement within membership.

"Our audit and quality assurances were excellent from the question setting stage through moderations to mounting the exams. All the processes for delivery of scripts to markers, moderation and evaluation of marked scripts, etc were excellently done under strict confidentiality, until the final results were released to students on February 21, 2022, exactly 7 weeks after the exams, which is an impressive achievement”.

Dr Kasser Tee applauded the good works of the Institute’s Chief Examiner, Dr. Dr. Francis Mensah Sasraku, the Consulting Director of Education, Mr Adam Sulley, the CEO/Registrar of CIMG, Mr Kwabena Agyekum, all Examiners and Markers, the Examinations Management Committee and the Examinations Board for being very instrumental in the conduct of the examinations.

He paid special compliment to all 91 candidates for the maiden exams, describing them as; “The gallant 91 candidates who had faith and trust in the local Professional Marketing Qualifications brand”, notwithstanding any doubts others may have had.

“For taking part in CIMG’s maiden examinations, your names will forever remain in the annals of CIMG’s history as the institute’s first batch of gallant 91 candidates for the PMQ exams. We, accordingly, appreciate you all for believing in this beautiful made-in-Ghana professional marketing qualifications brand”, concluded Dr Tee.

On his part, the CIMG’s Chief Examiner for the PMQ, Dr. Dr. Francis Mensah Sasraku stated that the results were analysed using the minimum performance range, which indicates whether at least 50% of candidates passed the paper or not. 

According to the Chief Examiner, “We conducted a module-by-module analysis to ascertain the effect on how the maiden PMQ examinations had been implemented and the potential effect on its sustainability.”

He further highlighted that the Institute’s examinations management committee and the Examinations Board had conducted a study on the learning styles of candidates for professional programmes, the outcomes of which strongly re-affirms the notion that learners for professional qualifications programme should not be treated in the same way as their counterparts studying academic programmes.

This, he indicated, was because professional programmes are meant to equip learners with hands-on practical skills to enable them effectively function in any situation, from the tactical levels to the strategic levels, depending on the level of study attained by one.

He buttressed the need for regular orientation programmes for Tutors at all Accredited Study Centres to ensure that they deliver to the expectations of the CIMG examinations.

He further urged learners to always take advantage during the “meet the examiner” sessions, held about two weeks to the commencement of examinations, as these sessions afford candidates the opportunity to understand and appreciate the true requirements of the examiners.

The Consulting Director of Education, Mr Adam Sulley, reiterated that despite the success of the exams, the prospects for further improvement are good for the next batch of candidates.

He made this statement in response to a question on targets for the next and future examinations.

“The good thing that has happened with CIMG and Professional Marketing Qualifications is that this is the first time a professional body has engaged effectively both traditional and technical universities in terms of partnering us to deliver our professional programmes.

"So, the prospects look very good. I must confess that the situation gets very exciting at every step of the journey. Attracting 120 learners to enrol as Student-Marketers, out of which 91 sat the maiden exams is a remarkable achievement.

"It is something we should be very proud of. We are looking at year two moving up between 200 and 300. By year three, we should be hitting about 500 or 600,” Mr Sulley explained.

He further added that CIMG has accredited study centres across the country from traditional to technical universities, and other Tutorial Centres, making CIMG’s PMQ ubiquitous.

Thus, anyone, irrespective of location, can apply to enrol on the qualifications programme, more so, as the centre delivers both in-person and virtual edition.