Accra, April 18, GNA - This year's Basic School Certificate Examination (BECE) started throughout the country on Monday. The examination is to assess 287,341 candidates made up of 158,038 boys and 129,303 girls for admission into senior secondary, technical and vocational schools in the 2005/2006 academic year.

The examination would end on Friday April 22, The Minister for Education and Sports, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo has advised all candidates to avoid all forms of examination malpractices that would lead to the cancellation of the examination results thus giving the country a bad image in the eyes of the international community.

Mr Osafo-Maafo cautioned the candidates to be aware of fake BECE questions already in circulation and concentrate on their studies. He asked parents, guardians, teachers, invigilators and supervisors to co-operate in order to realize the objective of a leakage-free and successful examination.

BECE taking place uninterrupted in Sekondi/Takoradi

Sekondi, April 18, GNA - Some 28,621 candidates are sitting the 2005 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Western Region, the Regional Office of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) said on Monday.

An official of the WAEC told the GNA in Sekondi that the candidates were from 878 schools and they are writing the papers at 103 centres. The official said 7,637 candidates from 129 schools were taking the examinations at 22 centres in the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolis. At the Sekondi Secondary School Examination Centres "A" and "B" at Inchaban, Miss Florence Inkoom, the Supervisor, said one female candidate was unable to take the first paper in English Language because she was vomiting.

She said four male candidates had not shown up for the examination. Miss Inkoom said over 600 candidates from schools at Inchaban, Kumasi, Assorku-Essaman, Shama and other areas were taking the examination. She said the candidates included 13 male and four female pupils of the Sekondi School for the Deaf.

At the Fijai Secondary School examination centre, Mr John Ennor, the supervisor, said the examination was going on without any problem. He said 337 students were taking their examination at the centre. One male candidate passed away before the examination while one female candidate was absent.

The examinations started about 30 minutes late due to sorting and other logistical arrangements at the Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) centre. Mr Ebenezer Acquaah, a Coordinator of the Examinations at the GSTS, told the invigilators to be fair, firm and respect the rights of the pupils.

Mr Acquaah said the nation was keenly watching the entire process and none of the invigilators should underestimate the value of the exercise. At the Bompeh Secondary Technical School in Takoradi, a total of 1,121 pupils are writing the examination five were absent. 18 April 05