Prof. Edward Appiah, the Director-General of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), has voiced his gratification with how the current Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is being conducted in a calm environment.

He claimed that the pupils taking examinations in the numerous centers, where he visited are not stressed but rather at ease. Even during the actual administration of the exams, he noted, “you could see that the students are very calm and no form of malpractice.”

He emphasized that this year’s BECE will be the best, provided the demonstrated good character persists.

Prof. Edward Appiah highlighted the adoption of serialization sessions, as a key factor in success in reducing examination fraud, after visiting certain BECE centers in the Ashanti Region.

“There might be three versions within one center and so, you are not sure which question your close neighbor is doing. The serialization is done in all the various centers.”
Prof. Edward Appiah

While stating that last year’s performance was good, he assured that this year’s performance will be much better.

DCE Delighted As No Pregnancy Recorded Amongst Candidates

Anthony Mensah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asutifi North in the Ahafo Region, expressed excitement that no BECE candidate in his district this year, was pregnant.

He revealed this while touring BECE facilities in Kenyasi and Ntotroso with the Ahafo Minister, Ahafo Regional Education Director, and Asutifi North Education Director in attendance.

As stated by Mr. Mensah, the district was happy to report that there were no candidates who were expecting or nursing children. “This means the advice and training we gave the students have yielded results,” he opined.

Additionally, he emphasized that there had been no absenteeism incidents, which is good for the district’s reputation. He revealed that significant obstacles in the past, included absenteeism, nursing mothers, and pregnancies among BECE candidates.

However, he averred that the district had successfully addressed these concerns through its rigorous educational initiatives.

The Asutifi Police Command was also congratulated by Lucy Ama Ankrah, the Ahafo Regional Education Director, for making sure that all examination locations were calm for the exam. She also commended managers for making sure there was no cheating on tests, among others.

George Boakye, the Ahafo Regional Minister, took advantage of the occasion to encourage students to focus on their studies up till the final exam. He also urged parents to make reading a priority for their kids.

Four Arrested For Examination Malpractice

As revealed by the West African Examination Council (WAEC), four people have reportedly been detained for their alleged involvement in examination malpractices during the start of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) on Monday.

The arrests highlight the dedication to upholding the integrity of the test processes and can be attributed to the introduction of stricter procedures this year to combat exam fraud. These steps are intended to establish an atmosphere that forbids pupils from engaging in any sort of misconduct.

Mr. John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, confirmed these arrests. He explained that the Ashanti, Tema Central, and Central Regions had students who were all involved in these arrests.

According to Mr. Kapi, who provided an explanation of the events leading up to the arrests, one person was detained in the Ashanti Region while attempting to enter the examination venue with ready-made materials for the candidates.

“In Tema Central, a female individual was taken into custody for possessing a tablet containing information intended to be communicated to candidates. In the Central region, specifically Dunkwa-On Offin, two individuals were caught solving questions in the midst of the examination, which they intended to relay to candidates.”
John Kapi

The WAEC spokesman noted that the arrested persons had broken the WAEC examination norms. He reiterated, “According to our rules and regulations governing the conduct of examinations at WAEC, any breach of these rules is promptly reported to law enforcement agencies. Subsequently, those individuals are charged and brought before the court.”