2019 BECE: 517,332 candidates from 16,871 schools

The 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) commenced Monday, June 10, 2019, with a total of 517,332 candidates from 16,871 schools writing.

There are a total of 1,880 centres throughout Ghana.

According to the Head of the Ghana National Office of West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Mrs Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey, invigilators are not allowed to send any electronic device to the examination hall.

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This, she said is a measure to curb exams malpractice in the country.

In a radio interview on Accra based Citi FM on Monday, Mrs Addy-Lamptey said that, "all avenues for candidates to access ‘apo’ or external help in order to pass the BECE are all closed".

She said most of the students are helped by adults to cheat during the examination, "It is adults who are pushing these little ones to fall into the trap of examination malpractice,” she stated.

WAEC had also issued stern directives to safeguard the integrity of the BECE. Under the guidelines, Mrs Addy-Lamptey said, candidates would be thoroughly searched when entering or exiting the examination room.

“Candidates should be seated 30 minutes prior to the start of a paper,” she said, adding that any candidate who reported late for the paper would not be allowed access to the room.

“For the avoidance of doubt, a candidate is deemed to be late when he or she reports after the supervisor has given the order to start work,” she explained.

She added that: “All papers must start and end as the final timetable stipulates. In the event that a paper starts late, the supervisor would have to explain, in writing, the reason(s) for the delay.”

Meanwhile, the Head of Public Relations at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Cassandra Twum Ampofo, says measures have been put in place to ensure the smooth running of the exam.

“The Ghana Education Service has been working with WAEC and we know that and we’ve had series of discussions to ensure that everything goes on well. The ban on mobile phones is also one of the measures we have collaboratively put in place.”