Pregnancy forces 20 girls to abandon BECE papers

At least 22 candidates have been absent from eight centres since the weeklong exams started

Twenty pupils, who have been impregnated, have failed to sit for year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at Zebilla in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region.

A total number of 2,046 candidates, comprising 1,020 males and 1,026 females from 50 public and private schools registered for the exam, of which 22 candidates were absent at eight centres in the district.

One other person who failed to turn up for the exam was said to have died, while no reason was given for the absence of another candidate.

At the start of the weeklong examination which started on Monday, the 20 pupils refused to show up at their various centres.

Bawku West District Education Director, Madam Cecilia Sumaila, said her outfit would have made efforts to bring back them to sit for the exams despite the pregnancy if information about their situation got to her on time.

Meanwhile, Madam Sumaila advised candidates to conduct themselves well as it was their first experience of external examination.

She was confident the supervisors, invigilators and inspectors would discharge their duties professionally by conducting themselves in accordance with the rules and regulations of the examination.

Avoid cheating

The Bawku District Chief Executive, Victoria Ayamba, who addressed the candidate at the start of the exams advised them to put up their best but warned them against cheating in the examination.

She said those who come out successfully in the exams would enjoy the government‘s free education at the senior high school level.