Some Basic School candidates in the Yamoransa Circuit getting ready for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), have been sensitised on the rules, regulations and guidelines governing the conduct of the examination.
The event was meant to adequately prepare the minds of the candidate psychologically, emotionally and equip them with all the necessary techniques that would help them to manage exams anxiety.
The programme, which was organised by the Boys and Girls Club of Ghana, Anomabo, in collaboration with STS Consult, Cape Coast, was attended by 350 candidates drawn from 14 basic schools. The schools comprised ten public and four private schools within the Yamoransa Circuit in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region.
The Central Regional Branch Controller of the WAEC, Mrs Lilian Frimpong, walked the candidates through BECE guidelines particularly the ‘dos’ and ‘donts’ of the examination. She educated the candidates on all forms of examination irregularities, malpractices and their consequences as well as how such repercussions could adversely affect the culprits.
The highly interactive session made it possible for the candidates to ask questions and seek clarifications on any areas where they lacked understanding to broaden their knowledge ahead of the examination.
On her part, the Assistant Headmistress (Domestic) of Holy Child SHS, Cape Coast, Mrs Gifty Asmah, provided the candidates with practical tips on how to manage exam anxiety and stress.
As a professional counselor, Mrs Asmah took the candidates through career guidance and selection of programmes at the High Schools as their next steps would be to enter into the second circle institutions.
Teachers of core subjects comprising Mathematics, English Language, Integrated Science, and Social Studies and some aspect of BDT, provided the candidates with practical examples on how to answer BECE questions.
Speaking to The Chronicle, Mrs Lilian Frimpong, stated that the WAEC viewed such engagements as important because they allowed the WAEC the opportunity to engage their stakeholders including teachers and pupils.
She said, “Our exam is standardised one and before you organise any standardised exams, you must let the people know the rules of engagement, the structure of the examination and the conduct of the examination”.
The organisers rated the programme as successful and highly effective following the high rate of participation and the positive feedback they obtained from the candidates and teachers.
They expressed the desire to sustain the organisation of such programmes annually to benefit more candidates in other circuits in the Mfantseman Municipality to bolster the pass rate of the BECE in the area.
