A total of 571,894 candidates are taking part in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) across2,158 centres in the country.
The Ashanti Region has the highest number of candidates of 111,432 with 55,829 being males and 55,603 females, 105,539 candidates are writing in the Greater Accra Region with 50,815 being males and 54, 824 females.
The Eastern has 55,930 candidates with the breakdown as 28,475 males and 27,455 females, Central Region has 63,727 candidates with 31,954 males and 31773 females.
Similarly, 58,316, 53,265, 42,093, 44,838, 22,116 and 14,638 candidates are taking part in the Western and Western North, Bono, Ahafo and Bono East, Volta and Oti, Northern, North East and Savannah, Upper East and West regions respectively.
A total of 531,707 candidates made up of 269,408 males and 262,299 females sat for the examination last year.
Meanwhile the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has urged supervisors and invigilators in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to ensure strict compliance with the coronavirus (COVID-19) protocol at all the centres.
A statement issued and signed by the Head of Public Relations Unit of the Service, Ms Cassandra TwumAmpofo, said the examination which commenced today November 15 would end on Friday, November 18.
The statement also warned all stakeholders involved in the examination to desist from any form of examination malpractice.
It however, expressed its gratitude to all heads of basic schools, directors of education, parents and guardians, and all other stakeholders for the crucial roles they played in preparing the candidates for the examination.
In a related development, the Minister for Education, Dr Yaw OseiAdutwum, on behalf of his ministry has extended his best wishes to all the 571, 894 candidates who will be writing this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination from today, Monday, November 15 to Friday, November 19, 2021.
He said, “together with your parents and teachers, our dear nation has made great contributions over the past nine (9) years of your education and now is the time for you to finish well and excel”.
“Thanks to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s commitment to prioritise education, all successful candidates who qualify for placement in any of our public senior high or technical and vocational schools will enjoy the government’s Free Senior High School (SHS) or Free Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET),” Dr Adutwum said.
The Education Minister encouraged all candidates, invigilators, supervisors, school authorities and teachers to observe all COVID-19 safety protocol as they write the exams devoid of all forms of examination malpractice.
“Let me assure you that my ministry is working hand-in-hand with the Ghana Education Service, West African Examination Council and the Security Services to ensure a smooth and peaceful examination at all the 2,158 designated centres across the country,” Dr Adutwum said.
By Cliff Ekuful
