🟦 Introduction
Hello, reporter-in-training! 📋
Have you ever had to tell your teacher what happened during an event you attended? Or describe the outcome of a club meeting?
That is report writing — giving a clear, organized account of something that happened so that others can understand it even if they were not there.
In today’s lesson, you will learn how to plan, organize, and write a proper report for school, club activities, competitions, and even real-world situations — and ace it in BECE!
🟩 Key Concepts and Explanations
What is a Report?
A report is a formal piece of writing that tells about an event, incident, meeting, or investigation.
It explains facts clearly and objectively — without adding personal opinions unless specifically asked.
✅ Tip: A report must be factual, organized, and easy to understand.
Types of Reports in BECE
| Type of Report | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Meeting Report (Minutes) | Summarize discussions and decisions made during a meeting |
| Event Report | Describe what happened during a school or community event |
| Incident Report | Describe accidents, missing items, or unusual happenings |
| News Report | Inform the public about a current event (shorter, journalistic style) |
General Structure of a Report
| Part | Details |
|---|---|
| Heading/Title | In capital letters (e.g., REPORT ON SCHOOL CLEAN-UP EXERCISE) |
| Introduction/Opening Paragraph | Briefly state what the report is about — the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, why. |
| Body | Main details: what happened, how it happened, results. Organize into paragraphs. |
| Conclusion/Recommendation | Final remarks, lessons learned, or suggestions (if needed). |
| Signature and Name | (Optional, if required — especially for official reports) |
✅ Tip: Keep the tone formal, sentences short, and facts organized logically.
Important Features of a Good Report
Clarity: No confusing language.
Objectivity: Stick to facts, not feelings.
Chronological Order: Tell events in the order they happened.
Simple, formal language: Avoid slang or contractions.
Paragraphing: Each paragraph should cover one main point.
🟨 Sample Problem Walkthroughs
✍️ Example 1: Reporting an Event (School Excursion)
Task: Write a report on an excursion your class made to the Independence Square in Accra.
Outline:
Heading: REPORT ON AN EXCURSION TO INDEPENDENCE SQUARE
Introduction:
Who organized the excursion?
When and where it took place.
Body:
What you saw and did.
Special moments or highlights.
How students behaved.
Conclusion:
What you learned.
Suggestion for future trips.
✍️ Example 2: Reporting an Incident (Vandalism)
Task: Write a report to your Headteacher about damage to school property during a football match.
Outline:
Heading: REPORT ON VANDALISM OF SCHOOL PROPERTY
Introduction:
Date, time, and place of the incident.
Body:
What exactly happened.
People involved (avoid guessing if unknown).
Witnesses (if any).
Conclusion:
Recommendations: security checks, supervision.
✍️ Example 3: Reporting a Meeting (Minutes)
Task: Write a report on a school club meeting discussing plans for a clean-up exercise.
Outline:
Heading: REPORT ON THE CLEAN-UP MEETING
Introduction:
Date, time, and venue of meeting.
Body:
Agenda discussed (reasons for clean-up, roles assigned, materials needed).
Names of key speakers and their contributions.
Conclusion:
Summary of resolutions (e.g., date set for exercise, next meeting date).
🟨 Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | How to Correct It |
|---|---|
| Mixing facts with opinions | Stick to what happened, not what you feel. |
| Writing like a story | Reports are factual, not creative stories. |
| Wrong heading | Always center or bold the heading clearly. |
| Poor organization | Use logical order: Introduction → Details → Conclusion. |
🟨 Useful Phrases for Report Writing
| Situation | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Introduction | “This report outlines…”, “This report is about…” |
| Describing events | “The event took place on…”, “Participants arrived at…” |
| Giving information | “According to eyewitnesses…”, “It was observed that…” |
| Conclusion | “In conclusion, it is recommended that…”, “Overall, the event was a success.” |
🟨 Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Reporting an Event
Write a report about the School Inter-House Sports Competition held recently.
✅ Points to include:
Date and venue.
Schools/houses that participated.
Major events and winners.
Behavior of students.
Lessons learned.
Exercise 2: Reporting an Incident
Write a report to the school authorities about a theft incident during break time.
✅ Points to include:
Time and place.
Items stolen.
Witnesses (if any).
Immediate actions taken.
Exercise 3: Writing Minutes of a Meeting
Write a report about your Environmental Club’s meeting where you planned to plant trees around the school.
✅ Points to include:
Time and venue.
Discussion points.
Agreed action plans.
Future meetings planned.
🔁 Recap
Today, we learned:
What a report is and when to write one.
The structure of a good report.
Different types of reports (event, meeting, incident).
Key tips: Keep it factual, organized, formal, and clear.
Avoid mixing stories with reports!
🪞 Reflection Prompt
Think about the last event or gathering you attended at school (sports competition, debate, speech day, etc.).
If you had to write a report about it, what 3 key details would you include?
List them in order.
