Late arrival of materials delays BECE in Cape Coast

The late arrival of examination materials delayed the start of the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE)in almost all the centres in the Cape Coast Metropolis on Monday, according to Ghana News Agency (GNA) checks.

Some of the examination centres were St. Augustine’s College, Adisadel College, Mfantsipim School and Holy Child School.

The English Language paper, which was the first of the week-long examinations, was supposed to start at 0900hrs prompt, but due to the delay, it started as late as 40 minutes after 0900hrs at some of the afore-mentioned centres.

According to sources at the examination centres and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Directorate of Education, the delay was as a result of inadequate vehicles to convey the examination papers to the seven centres in the Metropolis.

At a point, the Mfantsipim School had to release its pick-pp vehicle to support the distribution of the examination papers.

A source at the Metro Education Directorate revealed that many of the vehicles were broken down.

When the GNA arrived at the St. Augustine’s College Centre at 0930hrs, candidates were already seated waiting for the arrival of the papers.

The Centre Supervisor, Mr. Henry Arthur-Gyan, told the GNA that a total of 357 candidates, made up of 195 males and 162 females with no recorded absentees, were ready to write the papers at that centre.

At Adisadel College, which had a total of 587 candidates, made up of 325 males and 262 females, Mr. John Kofi Sam, Centre Supervisor, said the English Language paper was delayed for about 20 minutes.

The situation was not different at the Mfantsipim School centre as the paper, started 41 minutes late, according to Mr. Hiob Howusu, the Assistant Centre Supervisor.

He indicated that out of a total of 615 candidates, made up of 263 males and 352 females, expected to write at the centre, one male and one female from the Jacob Wilson Sey Basic School, were absent.

They reportedly stopped schooling shortly before the BECE.

The examination was delayed for 40 minutes at the Holy Child School, where 442 candidates, were expected to sit for the paper.

Also writing the paper at the centre were 30 hearing-impaired candidates, made 15 males and 15 females from the Cape Coast School for the Deaf.

Mr. Alex Mensah, Centre Supervisor told the GNA that eight candidates were absent, with one reportedly pregnant, while the others dropped out of school before the examinations.

At the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the Metropolitan Director of Education, Ms. Florence Nkum, to explain the delay was not successful.

In all 3,211 candidates, comprising 1,603 males and 1,608 females from 94 schools in the Metropolis, are writing the papers at seven examination centres.

At the regional level, a total of 45,587 candidates, made up 23,911 males and 21,676 females, from 1,622 schools, are writing the papers at 134 examination centres.