A total of 51, 591 candidates, made up of 26,143 males and 25,448 females from both public and private Junior High Schools have commenced writing this year’s 5-day Basic Education Certificate Examination, (BECE) in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.
The examination, which started on Monday, October 17, 2022 would end on Friday.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has indicated that a total of 552,276 candidates from 18,501 schools will be sitting for the examinations. This is 3.48 per cent less than the 2021 entry figure of 572,167.
The number comprises 276,988 males and 275,288 females. For this year, both public and private school candidates are sitting for examinations at the same time. The examinations will take place at 2,038 centres across the country.
The candidates will be examined in a maximum of nine subjects and the examinations will enable them to gain admission into the government’s flagship policy, the Free Senior High School.
The Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Education Service (GES) for the Bono region, Mr. Luke Mensah, told The Chronicle that 1,720 invigilators – 191 supervisors have been deployed for the examinations at 191 centres in the Ahafo and Bono regions. He added that there are 20 depots holding the examination papers.
BONO REGION
According to the PRO, a total of 22,208 candidates made of 11,085 males and 11,123 females registered for the examination in the Bono region. The candidates would write their papers at 80 centres in the region.
The Banda district has the least number of candidates, 513 while the Sunyani municipality has the highest number of candidates – 4,407.
The Banda district also recorded the least female (250) and male (263) candidates with the Sunyani municipality recording the highest female (2,216) and highest male (2,191) candidates.
At the time of filing this report, it was not known whether there are any pregnant candidates in this year’s BECE in the three regions.
Meanwhile, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is urging supervisors and invigilators of this year’s examination to comply with all the rules of invigilation.
The General Secretary of the Association, Thomas Musah, said “we all know the implication of the rules of engagement. Nobody will go and supervise and say he or she doesn’t know the rules of engagement.”
“So to the extent that you have been invited to assist in the conduct of the exam requires each one who is having that opportunity to live up to expectations,” Mr.Musah said.
GOOD WILL MESSAGES
The Member of Parliament for Wenchi Constituency, Alhaji Seidu Haruna is encouraging this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to focus on the examination with all seriousness.
He urged the candidates to remain calm and revise their study notes between now and during the exams. The MP disclosed this in his goodwill message to the BECE candidates.
“Go and make Wenchi proud, go and make your teachers proud, go and make your parents proud, go and make yourselves proud and success will surely crown your efforts,” he assured them and added that, “Your future begins today so take your studies serious and work hard to pass the exams.”
He cautioned the candidates to eschew all forms of examination malpractices before, during and after the exams and further called on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to take all the necessary security measures to ensure leakage free of examination papers to avoid unnecessary cancellation of papers.
The Executive Secretary for Key Media Solutions, Madam Stella Dabia Asare, has sent a good will message to candidates sitting for this year’s (2021) Basic Education Certificate Examination.
The message, copied to The Chronicle in Sunyani, read in part: “I write to convey my heartfelt best wishes from Key Media Solutions to all our beloved sons, daughters, brothers and sisters who will be sitting for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
“As you commence your examination today to mark another milestone in your lives, I believe in your ability to put in your best, and excel”, the message said
“You are capable and I hope you know that the best way to do well in your examination is to believe in yourself and never give room for doubt. Let the amount of preparation you have put in manifest as you take each paper. Compose yourselves, present what is required of you and ace the examination to make yourselves and the rest of us proud”, the message added. Madam DabiaAsare commended staff of the GES for preparing the candidates for the examinations
“I would like to express my gratitude to the District Director of Education and staff of the GES, head teachers, subject teachers and all stakeholders who played various roles in making sure that our candidates were prepared well to write this examination”, Madam DabiaAsare said.
