About 1,400 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates have been taken through basic examination rules as part of their preparations.
The candidates, who were drawn from the host communities of Aboso Gold Fields Limited in Damang, were taken through the basic rules in writing examinations and answer booklets among others.
The programme was sponsored by AGL, under its Employee Volunteerism Programme, which was started in 2012. The programme allows employees to contribute their time, resources and expertise to a community service initiative during working hours.
Charles Kofi Nti, Operations Manager of AGL, underscored the importance of helping to prepare the BECE candidates for their exams.
“The focus of this year’s event is to motivate and prepare them psychologically for the heavy task ahead.
“It is important for parents and professionals like us to constantly be available for these young ones as we serve as role models to them.”
He stated that Gold Fields believed that promoting and enhancing human capital through education and skills development were vital to the sustainable development of the communities that host mining operations.
Fredrick Kwame Forson, Wassa East Director of Examination, urged the candidates to enter the examination hall with a positive mind set.
“Do not use [a] pencil that has been prayed over by any pastor to shade, WAEC will give you [a] pencil for the objectives, which will be determined by a machine during marking,” he advised the candidates.
He urged them to enter the examination hall 30 minutes before the time. “Under no circumstance should a candidate enter the exams hall with a mobile phone, or put on a wrist watch; if you are caught, all your papers will be cancelled.”
Also, he mentioned that the candidates should go to the examination hall with their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards, and not mobile phones. “In the event that you are sick, you will be sent to the hospital with your NHIS card.”
Abdel Razak Yakubu, Executive Secretary of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, advised them to have the confidence that they would be able to answer all the questions.
“Create a schedule for revision and not for learning; exams week should not be for all night service. Take short breaks when learning and get enough rest,” he added.
