Over 320,000 pupils begin BECE

Accra, April 23, GNA - This year's Basic Examination certificate examinations began throughout the country on Monday with a total of 320,225 pupils, made up of 174,847 boys and 145,408 girls, having registered for the examinations.

There are 8,079 schools that have registered candidates and the examinations would take placed at 1,164 centres. Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, said this in Accra when he visited some selected examination centres in Accra.

He observed that this year's exams have so far recorded the lowest percentage in absenteeism.

He also noted that the materials for the examination were also received early, thus enabling the pupils to begin the exam on time as expected.

Mr Bannerman-Mensah's first stop was at the Accra High School Centre where there are 16 schools with a total 570 pupils writing the papers. There was no record of absenteeism at the centre. The Director-General also visit was Accra Girls Secondary School, Achimota School and Presbyterian Secondary School, Legon. He noted that the style of the examinations had been changed this year as pupils would have 45 minutes to write the paper and 45 minutes break.

"This would enable them to relax and prepare their minds for the Paper Two".

Mr John Etefe, supervisor at PRESEC, noted that there was only one pupil absent but the centre lacked supervisors and invigilators. Mr Bannerman-Mensah expressed satisfaction about the turnout of pupils and expressed the hope that the situation would be the same in all centres across the country. He commended the authorities at the West African Examinations Council for managing examination malpractices thus toning down leakages and making BECE certificates credible in the country and beyond.