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Tag: BECE

  • BECE commences for both private and public schools on October 17

    The Basic Education Certificate Examination (B.E.C.E) has been slated for October 17, 2022, for both public and private schools.

    This was announced by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in a statement.

    The BECE is a mandatory examination for students in the ninth year of their basic education class and third year of the Junior High School (J.H.S).

    It is administered by the West African Education Council (WAEC) in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    B.E.C.E is also for certification and selection into Senior High Schools and Technical Institutes in Ghana. The 2022 edition is the first both the private and public are taking the exam simultaneously, according to WAEC.

    Number of candidates

    This year, a total of 552,276 candidates from 18,501 schools across the country are expected to partake in the exams. The exam is expected to take place at 2,023 centres across the country.

    Out of the total number of prospective candidates, a total of 1,132 private candidates have registered for the exams and will take the papers at 15 selected centres. Out of the number of school candidates, 276,988 are males, with 275,288 females. The private candidates are made up of 634 males and 498 females.

    WAEC further indicated that there has been a 3.48% drop in the total number of candidates who will participate in the exam, compared to last year’s figures.

    Speaking on the readiness of the Council to ensure a successful examination, WAEC noted that all appropriate measures have been put in place to ensure a successful examination.

    “The Council is advising candidates to be focused and be on the alert for the activities of “examination social media racketeers” whose primary aim is to make money through deception,” WAEC said in a statement on Thursday.

    The Council, however, warned candidates against any malpractice, insisting that candidates found engaging in any illegal act during the exam, will not be let off the hook.

    “Candidates are reminded that collusion can be detected in their scripts during marking and that the penalties for examination malpractice include cancellation of Subject/Entire Results.”

    While wishing candidates success in the exam, WAEC reminded examination officials, including Supervisors, Invigilators, Distributors, to comply with the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examination and refrain from being facilitators of malpractice.

    Meanwhile, the exam is expected to end on October 21, 2022.

    Source: The Independent Ghana|

  • 552,276 pupils to write 2022 BECE – WAEC

    A total of 552, 276 candidates from 18,501 schools will on Monday, October 17, start this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

    A statement issued by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Accra on Thursday said this year’s examination would be run for both school and private candidates at 2,023 centres throughout the country.

    The statement said, “the entry figure is made up of 276,988 males and 275,288 females. The number of candidates that registered for this year’s BECE is 3.48 per cent less than the 2021 entry figure of 572,167.

    In respect of the BECE for Private Candidates (PC), 1,132 candidates made up of 634 males and 498females entered the examination.”

    According to the statement, the examination would be taken at 15 selected centres in the regional capitals.

    It said the number of registered candidates for the 2022 BECE was 6.09 per cent higher than the 2021 figure of 1067.

    The Council assured the public that all appropriate measures had been put in place to safeguard test security and the successful conduct of the examination.

    Source: GNA

  • BECE candidates undergo orientation on WAEC’s rules, regulations

    All junior high school candidates, who will write this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region, have undergone orientation on the rules and regulations of the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) regarding the BECE.

    It was to prepare them adequately for the BECE for improved performance.

    This year’s BECE would begin on October 17.

    The orientation was organised by the Sagnarigu Municipal Directorate of Education with support from the Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development, a non-governmental organisation, based in Tamale.

    During the event, the students sought clarifications on issues regarding the BECE.

    Mr Bob Basharu, Examinations Officer at the Sagnarigu Municipal Directorate of Education, who spoke during the event in Tamale, urged the candidates to avoid health risks and prepare themselves psychologically ahead of the examinations.

    He urged them to psych themselves as individuals, who would write the examinations independent of others.

    Mr Bashiru encouraged them to seek their teachers’ assistance for clarity on topics they deemed difficult to enable them to prepare well for the examination.

    He urged them to set goals for themselves in terms of desired grades and aggregates to serve as motivation to work hard towards achieving them.

    Madam Linda Amoah, Northern Regional Girl-Child Education Coordinator, encouraged candidates, who were pregnant or nursing babies, not to boycott the examination and appealed to their mates to give them the needed support.

    Madam Zelia Mahamadu, Sagnarigu Municipal Guidance and Counseling Coordinator took the candidates through career sessions, and encouraged them to manage examination anxiety well to perform creditably during the BECE.

    Source: GNA

  • Scrap of WAEC, it has outlived its purpose – National Council for Private Schools to government

    The government has been urged by the Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS)  to abolish the West African Examinations Council  (WAEC) examinations.

    They argue that WAEC has outlived its usefulness and that failure in various disciplines has truncated the dreams of many students

    “Every government or every minister who is really ahead of time will collapse WAEC; because it is rather rendering our resources and retiring our youth.

    “Somebody goes to school for 9 years, 12 years, sits in WAEC exams let’s say WASSCE or BECE and then they will come and tell you that you have failed in Mathematics, you have failed English and because of that your line is truncated you can’t develop anymore,” 3news.com quoted the association.

    Their call is in reaction to a report by WAEC, which revealed that over 20 individuals have been arrested in various exam centres at private schools for allegedly impersonating candidates in the ongoing WASSCE.

    National Executive Director for GNACOPS, Obengfo Kwesi Enoch Nana Gyetuah said the claim lacks evidence as he called on WAEC to implore scannable machines to identify impersonators.

  • I knew I wouldn’t pass, so I skipped getting my BECE results – Obaapa Christy

    Ghanaian gospel musician Obaapa Christy has revealed that she did not go for her Basic Education Certificate Examination(BECE) results because she was confident she wouldn’t do well.

    In an interview with Rainbow Radio’s mid-morning show, the gospel minister admitted she wasn’t a good student and that she was aware from the outset she wouldn’t excel in her BECE.

    “However, I have come to discover that education is important. You need a positive mindset to succeed. If I had that positive mindset, I think I would have made it. But it is not too late. I will be going back to school. It is not too late to go back to school.”

    She told Sokoohemaa Kukua that, despite her lack of higher education, God has used her to touch lives, transform homes, and bring joy to many others through her powerful songs.

    “If God had blessed people because of their higher education, I would not be where I am today. God gave me something, and that is what I have done all these years.”

    Obaapa Christy, who is celebrating 20 years in the industry, expressed gratitude to God for bringing her this far.

    The musician also revealed Mathematics and drawing were her best subjects.

    “Mathematics was my best subject because God knew I would be wealthy and be counting money,” she said amidst laughter.

     

     

     

  • Young student branded a witch for earning aggregate 30 in BECE – Activist

    An activist for women’s rights, Margaret Brew-Ward, has revealed that a young student who scored 30 in her Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) was branded a witch.

    She added that the girl resided in a rural area where no one had earned the necessary grades to enroll in a Senior High School.

    “Recently, there was a case we heard when we visited one of the communities that a girl who got around aggregate 30 in the BECE was [branded a witch]… meanwhile you know in the cities people are striving for aggregate 8, eight 1s and what not.

    “Just because in that community, no girl had passed to go to the secondary school, so for a girl to do that, she [must have been a witch]” she explained on JoyNews.

    Brew-Ward further mentioned that the scope of persons to become victims of such attacks is very wide. Referencing the girl’s story to underpin her submission, she said the young student was tagged a witch after she surpassed expectations in the BECE.

    The manager of the Action Aid campaign finds this discouraging.The activist claims that in order to secure the aid she need, a partnership between her group and a few state agencies was required.

    Mrs. Brew-Ward mentioned additional demographic categories that are frequently labeled as such and stressed the importance of developing a roadmap for its eradication.

     

     

    Source: Yen.com

     

     

  • Nationwide self-placement exercise for over 187k BECE candidates ongoing

    A nationwide self-placement exercise under the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) started on Monday.

    The exercise, which is being done in all the 16 regions across the country for 187,542 candidates, will enable the affected candidates select new schools since they could not get placed during the automatic placement.

    Nationwide self-placement exercise for over 187k BECE candidates ongoing

    Briefing the media in Accra on Tuesday, the Deputy Coordinator for the Free Senior High School (FSHS), Nana Afrah Sika Mensah, said a total of 75 personnel of the FSHS Secretariat have been trained on good customer service skills to assist parents and students with any challenges they may have with placement.

    The Coordinator said the 75 trained personnel will assist parents and other guardians to resolve various admission issues such as change of school, correction of sex, change of programme among others.

    She urged parents to take a keen interest in resolving issues at their various regional resolution centres themselves instead of engaging agents or people at internet cafés who would not get them the right answers to their questions.

    Nationwide self-placement exercise for over 187k BECE candidates ongoing

    Nana Afrah Sika Mensah also cautioned parents not to pay money to anyone who comes to them to offer such a service at a fee since the CSSPS does not charge for it.

    Background
    The Ministry of Education through the FSHS Secretariat over the weekend announced the release of the school placement for qualified candidates who will be attending either SHS or any TVET institution in the country.

    A total of 571,892 candidates wrote the 2021/2022 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), after which 555,353 candidates qualified to pursue further education at the second cycle level.

    Out of the number who qualified, 367,811 were automatically placed in their schools of choice, leaving only 187,542 to do self-placement.

    The establishment of national and regional resolution centres across the country is helping to offer a face-to-face opportunity to parents, students, the media and other stakeholders to meet the technical team from the CSSPS and Free SHS Secretariat to address their peculiar issues, instantly.

    Apart from the national teams, four-member teams have been formed at each of the centres in the 16 regions to Collate and send to the National technical team issues compiled for redress.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • SHS postings out: GES announces confirmation of school selection for 2021 BECE candidates

    The Ghana Education Service has announced confirmation of school selection for 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates.

    In a release signed by the Head of Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, the GES stated that the candidates can verify and confirm school choices through bulk SMS, USSD and online.

    “As part of measures to ensure smooth placement this year, the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Secretariat has made available the choices of schools selected by the 2021 BECE Candidates through bulk SMS, USSD messaging and online for verification and confirmation,” the release noted.

    SHS postings out: GES announces confirmation of school selection for 2021 BECE candidates

    Source: MyJoyOnline.com

  • Nsawam-Adoagyiri tops 2020 BECE, MP commends students

    The Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality in the Eastern Region has been ranked first in 2020 BECE performance out of the schools in the region.

    Further, 72% of students with an aggregate of 6 in the region were from the municipality, as it recorded the highest passes among the candidates presented with an 80.8% pass rate.

    A total of 27,561 candidates representing fifty-six percent (56%) of candidates failed.

    Students who obtained an aggregate of 6 in the region were 247 made up of 110 boys and 137 girls. 178 out of the total number of candidates who obtained an aggregate of 6 in the Eastern region were from Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality.

    2,834 candidates obtained aggregate 7 to 15 while 8,636 had aggregate 16 to 24. A total of 9,979 had an aggregate of 25 to 30.

    The Majority Chief Whip, also a Member of Parliament for Nsawam / Adoagyiri Constituency, Frank Annoh – Dompreh who was excited about the student’s performance on his behalf congratulates them for learning hard and scoring higher.

    He noted that “we are determined to do more together with all the stakeholders. This is refreshing”.

    The Majority Chief Whip through his efforts has been organizing free extra classes for the students annually as there is another ongoing extra class for the WAEC examination this year.

    According to him, his constituency ranked first in the Eastern Region and third national, and they are hopeful to do better this time.

    “We plan to perform better this year through impactful interventions such as this”, he stated.

    Frank Annoh – Dompreh said the private classes are meant to keep the students busy and provide an opportunity for them to have a better understanding of areas they might be having challenges with.

    Meanwhile, Statistical analysis of the performance of the candidates commissioned by the Eastern Regional Directorate of Ghana Education Service (GES) indicates that only 21,655 candidates out of total 49,216 candidates who wrote the exams passed by securing an aggregate of 6 to 30. This represents 44%.

    Other Municipal and Districts such as; Birim North has been placed second with a 65.1% pass rate, Atewa East followed in third with a 60.8% pass rate while Kwahu West, Birim South, and Atewa West and New Juaben South followed with 60.6%, 53.8%, 50.5%respectively.

    The New Juaben South Municipality placed sixth with a 50.1% pass rate while Kwahu Afram Plains South recorded 49.7% to place seventh.

    Denkyembuor, Suhum, Upper Manya Krobo, Akyemansa, and Akuapem-North followed with 48.6%, 47.5%, 47.5%, 45.8%, and 45.1% respectively.

    New Juaben North placed 14 with 44.9% while Birim Central place 15th with 44.6%.

    Kwahu Afram Plains North, Fanteakwa North, and Ayensuano languished at the bottom of the performance in the 2020 BECE in the region with 24.9%, 19.7%, and 19.0% pass rates respectively.

    Twenty-four (24) schools in 13 districts/Municipalities in Eastern Region recorded Zero percent (0%) during the 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

    The rest of the schools that recorded zero percent and the number of schools are; Kwaebibirim (4), Akyemansa (4), Abuakwa South (3), West Akim(3) Asene Manso -Akroso (2), New Juaben North (1), Yilo Krobo(1), Upper West Akyem (1), Kwahu South (1), Achiase (1), Fanteakwa South(1), Afram Plains North (1), Kwahu South (1), and lastly Okere (1).

    Source: Daniel Bampoe, Contributor

  • 2021 WASSCE to be written in Sept/Oct; BECE in Nov GES

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has said it is in discussions with the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for the 2021 West African Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to be moved to September/October.

    It has also recommended that the 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) take place in November.

    The Director-General of the GES, Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa, said the proposal is to allow students to prepare adequately for the exam.

    “Per our arrangements, we expect that the next exams will be written in September/October, and we have already started discussions with WAEC on that,” he said at a press conference in Accra on Monday, 4 January 2020.

    He added: “We needed to make provision for marking and release of exam results and reopening, so, if we decide on October/November, it will be difficult for WAEC to release the exam [results] early enough for admissions to take place in January.”

    “So, per our calculation, we have proposed September /October, and we noticed that when we use these dates, we would have covered 1,700 hours and will only be short of one-hour contact period which we can always make up for,” he added.

    Professor Opoku Amankwa also expressed optimism that the exit examination timetables would revert to their normal dates by 2023.

    “Looking into the future, WASSCE will be held in July/August and BECE in September for 2022. In 2023, WASSCE will then come back to our normal date which is May/June and then BECE will follow suit,” he said.

    Source: Class FM

  • Selection of BECE candidates into SHSs begins

    The selection of junior high school candidates who just completed their Basic Education Certificate Exams (BECE) into senior high schools (SHSs) began yesterday.

    It will end on Saturday, October 31, 2020.

    A statement from the Ghana Education Service (GES) said the 2020 SHS register was available in all schools and education offices.

    The statement urged parents and guardians to take active interest in guiding their wards to choose schools based on their performance.

    It advised parents to seek for explanations and clarifications from the school management “if you do not know what to do”.

    Source: thefinderonline.com

  • 57-year-old JHS leaver who walked 3 miles to school every day celebrated

    The determination by a 57-year-old ‘mother of four’ Elizabeth Yamoah, to get some basic education, drove her to walk three miles to school every day.

    Apart from the long trek, it was confirmed to CTV by Mrs Yamoah’s headteacher on Monday, 21 September 2020, that the 57-year-old also suffered lots of abuse and scorn during her three-year journey at school.

    Being the oldest JHS graduate in Ghana, Elizabeth was among hundreds of thousands of pupils who recently sat the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

    According to Mrs Yamoah, she nearly gave up at a point because she could no longer handle trolls from some women in her village.

    “They kept scorning and asking me what I was going to school for at my age. It nearly got to me at a point and I almost gave up. In fact, I stopped schooling for a while because of the scorn but the headteacher intervened and I resumed,” she said.

    Source: Class FM

  • Three pregnant candidates write BECE in Tarkwa-Nsuaem

    Three pregnant students are sitting for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.

    Charles Cobbinah, the Western Regional Minister’s special aid and Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Western Regional Coordinating Council, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview after he visited some examination centers to monitor the progress of the examination on behalf of the Regional Minister.

    He said 30 candidates, comprising 11 girls and 19 boys failed to report for the examination.

    A total of 3,531 candidates made up of 1, 712 boys and 1, 819 girls are participating in the 2020 BECE in the municipality, Mr Cobbina added.

    In all, 96 basic schools involving 62 public and 34 private schools are taking part in the examination.

    Mr Cobbina commended the candidates, invigilators, supervisors, security personnel and West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) officials for comporting themselves during the examination period.

    The seven centers visited include; Tarkwa Senior High School (SHS), Fiaseman SHS, Tarkwa Catholic Boys, Atuabo Community Basic School, Dadwen School Complex, Dompim Methodist Basic School and Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) Basic School -Nsuaem.

    Source: GNA

  • Arrested BECE supervisors aided in malpractice not leakage – WAEC clarifies

    Authorities at the West African Examination Council (WAEC) have disclosed that the circumstances that led to the arrest of some supervisors in the ongoing Basic Examination Certificate Examination (BECE) as an act of examination malpractice and not an examination leakage.

    There have been reports that the 2020 BECE is not credible because most of the questions have been leaked to candidates writing the exams.

    However, Head of Communications at WAEC, Agnes Tei Cudjoe, in an interview with Starr FM, revealed that the argument of leakages in the BECE does not merit since no authority of WAEC has been identified as giving out questions.

    According to her, the actions taken by the supervisors who were arrested are acts of examination malpractice, also known as external assistance. The supervisors, she said, take screenshots of the questions in the examination hall then go out and solve the questions for candidates.

    “This is not a leakage of questions. This is what we call helping students to gain external assistance because questions will be taken then answers will be brought to students for them to copy,” Agnes Teye Cudjoe told Starr FM.

    She added, “This is an examination malpractice and not an examination leakage. When a candidate brings in a phone into an examination hall it is an examination malpractice.”

    She noted that due to the strict protocols guarding examination questions, people have devised ways to get ahead of the examination council.

    However, she indicated that assisting candidates to cheat in exams does help students prove themselves.

    She said, “This is similar to examination malpractice because this does not allow the students to prove themselves. That is why when we release results, we can say that we have withheld candidate results because we can detect collusion in the scripts of candidates because sometimes when they are copying answers that are brought to them they copy with all errors.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 12 pregnant girls, 7 nursing mothers write BECE

    A total of 12 pregnant girls and seven nursing mothers are taking part in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Akontombra District of the Western North Region.

    Forty-three candidates, comprising 30 males and 13 females were absent.

    This was contained in a release signed by Mr Thomas Koffie, Akontombra District Education Director and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

    According to the releases, 1,606 candidates out of 1,649 registered candidates from 38 public and 18 private schools are sitting for the examination in five centres.

    Of the candidates present, 924 are males and 682 females.

    Mr Koffie expressed satisfaction with the conduct of both candidates and invigilators.

    Meanwhile, a visit to the Nsawora and Nkwadum centres by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on day three of the examination saw candidates and invigilators in nose masks.

    There were veronica buckets at the entrance of the examination halls in compliance with the COVID-19 safety protocols.

    Source: GNA

  • BECE invigilators urged to be professional

    Madam Amina Achiaa, Ejisu Municipal Director of Education, has asked invigilators in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to do their work professionally.

    They should create a good atmosphere for the candidates to write their examination peacefully.

    Madam Achiaa made the call during a tour of some examination centres in the Ejisu Municipality.

    A total of 3,666, made up 1,767 males and 1,899 girls are writing the examination in fifteen centres in the area.

    Mad Achiaa advised the candidates to be focused and desist from any immoral act that could create problems for them during and after the examination.

    She commended the supervisors for ensuring that both the candidates and the invigilators were obeying the COVID-19 protocols at all the centres.

    Source: GNA

  • BECE candidate goes into labour at examination hall

    A candidate sitting the ongoing Basic Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District of the Eastern Region went into labour Monday few minutes after the arrival of the first Examination paper.

    The candidate was rushed to the Maame Krobo Health Center but was referred to Donkorkrom Presbyterian Hospital where she delivered a baby boy.

    The Afram Plains South District Director of Education Mustapha Haruna Appiah confirmed the incident to Nkawkaw based Agoo FM.

    The Education Director said, three pregnant candidates and three nursing mothers are taking part in the exams in the district.

    He said these candidates are being provided special attention and support to enable them write the exams.

    About 1039 candidates are writing the ongoing BECE exams in Kwahu Afram Plains South District. There are 13 absentees made up of 4 boys and 9 girls.

    Teenage Pregnancy is prevalent in the District due to high rate of poverty.

    The District Chief Executive for Kwahu Afram Plains South, George Ofori told Starr News on Wednesday that the exams has been smooth so far but worried over cases of teenage pregnancy.

    The DCE assured of investing more to tackle the teenage Pregnancy menace in the district.

    He however charged parents to be more responsible.

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • Ellembelle MP donates 2,000 mathematical sets to BECE Candidates

    Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle in the Western Region has donated 2,016 pieces of mathematical sets to this year’s Basic Education Examination Certificate (BECE) candidates in the area.

    The gesture was to motivate and encourage them to successfully write their final exams. Before the gesture, the Ellembelle Lawmaker also organised a Mock Exam to prepare them for the final exams.

    In all, 1,815 candidates are taking part in this year’s Basic Education Examination Certificate Examination in the Ellembelle District with six centers and seventy-one schools. Making the presentation, Mr Kofi-Buah wished the candidates well and urged them not to be afraid of the exams.

    “I am here this morning to encourage you that you should not be worried at all. I want you to know that what you are about to write is not different from what you have been writing in school”, he said.

    He urged them to relax and write the papers since the exams was not about life and death. He cautioned them against examination malpractices and urged them to respect all the rules and regulations associated with the examination.

    Receiving the items on behalf of the schools, the Ellembelle District Examinations Officer, Mr Denis Bansah expressed appreciation to the Member of Parliament for the kind gesture and gave the assurance that they would motivate them to write their exams with flying colours. Some of the candidates also expressed their appreciation towards the Member of Parliament and promised to learn hard to achieve their aim.

    “We are very excited and happy today for these mathematical sets and we say God should continue to bless him for always supporting students in this District, we will also learn hard to pass well”, they stated

    Source: GNA

  • BECE takes off smoothly in Sefwi-Wiawso Municipality

    This year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) took off smoothly in the Sefwi-Waiwso Municipality with a total of 3,266 candidates from 67 public and 42 private schools writing the examination in 16 centers.

    At the English and Arabic center at Sefwi-Asawinso, Mr kwabena musah, supervisor told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that all the COVID-19 pandemic protocols were being observed and that 205 candidates from five schools are writing at the center.

    He indicated that all materials were received and the exams started on a good note.

    At the Sefwi- Waiwso senior high school center, the supervisor Mr peter kyeremateng said a total of 132 candidates from five schools wrote the the exams at the center with one candidate each from Dwenase Presbyterian Junior high and Anglican Junior high schools absent.

    At the time Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited Waiwso R/C center, Madam Georgina Amissah, supervisor said the center received all materials and that a total of 219 candidates from seven schools were sitting for the examination at the center with two candidates absent.

    Mr Edmond Ababio, Sefwi- Waiwso Municipal examination coordinator expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination.

    He said the necessary measures have been put in place to check leakages.

    Source: GNA

  • Two pregnant girls, nursing mother sit for BECE in Sissala East

    Two pregnant girls including; a nursing mother are participating in the 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Sissala East Municipality of the Upper West Region.

    The nursing mother who delivered only a day to the examination displayed high level of determination when she managed to join her colleagues to write the English Language paper.

    This was observed during a monitoring visit by Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Karim Nanyua, the Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and Mr Cornelius Langsintuo, the Exams Officer for the Municipal Education Directorate.

    According to the Exams Officer, a total of 1,101 candidates comprising 562 girls and 539 boys were writing the 2020 BECE in the Municipality.

    He reported that so far the exam process was smooth as no incident was recorded.

    Mr Issahaku who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2020 Parliamentary candidate for Sissala West constituency advised the candidates to concentrate on their books and eschew any exam malpractice.

    The Deputy Regional Minister again advised the candidates to endeavour to observe all the COVID-19 protocols in order to stay safe throughout the exam period.

    Mr Nanyua said government would provide them with all that was needed to comfortably write their papers safely and without any challenges.

    Meanwhile, GNA observed that nosemasks and sanitizers were distributed to all the candidates who had them placed by their side as they sit for the exam.

    Earlier, the Sissala Youth Forum, an umbrella body of the Sissala Union issued a statement wishing the candidates well in the examination.

    “The Sissala Youth Forum further encouraged all stakeholders to play their respective roles more responsibly taking into account the rules and regulations of this important academic exercise”, the statement said.

    Source: GNA

  • Heads of basic schools confirm receipt of PPEs for 2020 BECE

    General Secretary of Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS), Alex Ackah has confirmed that personal protective equipment (PPEs) for 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates have been delivered to the various regions for distribution.

    In an interview with UniversNews, Mr. Ackah, who is also the Headteacher of Dunkwa Methodist JHS in the Central Region, mentioned that the PPEs were received about a week ago and have since been distributed to candidates.

    He was quick to add that nose masks were yet to be part of the distribution, explaining that they would not want students to come to the exam hall with excuses that they left them at home.

    Mr. Ackah indicated that face masks would rather be distributed to the students at the exam centre.

    “Currently all schools have received their PPEs for the upcoming BECE. For my district, I took it last week and I have distributed it among the students, other districts have called to confirm that they have received their PPE”

    Mr. Ackah added that although the students were writing the exam during the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease, he is confident that the students have been adequately prepared.

    “The children are prepared, they are gingered, they are prepared to write the exams because we have been with them since the reopening and tuition has been going on. Although, it may not be as it was when school operated for full hours; since it is an examination period, we teach for a while and allow them to also practice on their own”

    The 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) would be conducted from 14-18 September 2020 with a total of 531,705 candidates comprising 269,419 males and 262,286 females.

    Candidates are from 17,440 schools and they will write the Examination at 2007 centres.

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • Over 1,000 candidates sit for BECE in Ellembelle under tight security

    A total of 1,815 candidates are writing the 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.

    The nationwide exams which commenced today, September 14, 2020, is expected to end on Friday, September 18, 2020.

    In Ellembelle District, 927 boys and 883 girls are taking part in the exams.

    Speaking exclusively to GhanaWeb’s Western Regional Correspondent, the Ellembelle District Exams Coordinator, Mr. Denis Bansah, he disclosed that six centers have been created for the exams.

    “We have six centers, one is at Nkroful Agricultural Senior High School, another one at Esiama Technical and Senior High School and the rest are Atuabo Methodist Primary School, Aiyinasi Holy Child School, Aiyinasi Methodist Primary School, and Bonzo Kaku Senior High School.

    “In all, we are having 1,815 candidates taking part in this year’s BECE. Nkroful for instance we have 16 invigilators, 2 assistant supervisors and one supervisor who are taking charge of the examination from Monday to Friday”, he told GhanaWeb.

    He added that the examination will be in two sessions – morning and afternoon – in all centers across the country. The morning session begins from 9 am and ends somewhere 10:45 am and the second session starts from 1pm to 3 pm.

    He, therefore, took the opportunity, to advise the candidates to report to the exams center at least 8am every morning and also go through all the Coronavirus safety protocols.

    “So what we are telling our candidates I’d that by 8am since we are no more in normal times, we want them to be around 8 o’clock so that we can take them through COVID-19 protocols, checking of temperature, washing of hands and those things so we want them to report early to the center before the start of the exams,” he urged.

    Security

    Mr. Denis Bansah told GhanaWeb that the security is tight and emphasized that the security will deal with any teacher who will flout the rules and regulations governing the exams.

    “Security too is tight, as we speak,..the police is taking charge, we have security vehicles that will be doing the distribution and also at the various centers we have security personnel.

    “So what we are telling the teachers is that you come, you bring your students or candidates to the center, you register them, write your name and other details then they go away because we don’t want any teacher roaming around if you do that the security personnel will deal with you,” he stressed.

    Examination malpractices

    He said they have cautioned the candidates not to engage in any form of examination malpractices and cheating to prevent cancellation of their results.

    “For examination malpractices, we have been telling them that they shouldn’t engage in any form of examination malpractice…And one thing that we are telling them is that bringing mobile phone into the examination hall is not allowed, it is never allowed, when you bring it and we get you, your entire result will be canceled for a while you will not be permitted to take any WAEC examination. So we are urging them that they should not come to the exams hall with any form of mobile phone even mathematical set we don’t want it, we will be allowed you to use the maths set when maths and science papers and apart from these two subjects we don’t want them to bring them to the exams hall”, he said.

    Previous BECE performance

    He revealed, “considering last two years results, I may say that last year’s one was encouraging and we are hoping that this year’s one will be better off than the two years we had so we hope that we the District have a target that is 100 per cent pass for the District so we are hoping to get there”.

    Mock Exams

    The Ellembelle District Exams Coordinator used the opportunity to commend the Member of Parliament MP for the area Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah and the Ellembelle District Assembly for sponsoring two Mock Exams to prepare the candidates adequately for this week examination.

    “Yes the District organised Mock Exams for the candidates, we got the support from the MP for the area and then the District Assembly so the first we wrote was sponsored by the MP and then the second one was sponsored by the Ellembelle District Assembly so in all we wrote two mocks, he ended.

    In all, seventy-nine (79) invigilators and supervisors have been engaged in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Ellembelle District.

    However, 531,705 registered candidates are taking part in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) across the country.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Over 500,000 candidates sit for BECE today

    A total of 531, 705 final year Junior High School students from 16,000 schools across the country will begin writing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) today.

    Leakages over the years have prompted the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to introduce measures to curb exam malpractices.

    This year, one of the measures is to extend the ban on mobile phones and related gadgets to exam officials at various centres.

    Data provided by the examination management body indicated that 269,419 of the candidates are males and 262,286, females.

    The Ashanti Region presented the highest number of candidates 106,857 comprising 45,025 males and 52,832, Dailymailgh.com can confirm.

    The Greater Accra Region had 94,443 candidates comprising of 45,172 males and 49,271 females.

    According to the data, the Central Region also presented 58,105 candidates with 29,467 representing males while females were 28,638.

    Western and Western North Regions had 54,432 candidates including 26,373 females.

    The data has the Eastern Region presenting 49,993 candidates made up of 25,749 males and 24,244 females.

    Bono, Anafi, and Bono East Regions also presented 49,725 candidates including 20,125 females.

    Volta and Oti Regions also registered 38,192 candidates with 20, 015 males.

    Upper East also registered 22,532 candidates including 11, 775 females.

    In the case of Upper West, 13,926 candidates were registered with 7,000 males.

    According to the data 17,440 schools were participating with 18,716 invigilators.

    The data indicated that supervisors and assistant supervisors were 2,007 and 1,719 respectively.

    The examination will end on Friday, September 18, 2020.

    Candidates will write the English Language, Religious and Moral Education on Monday, Integrated Science, and Basic Design and Technology on Tuesday.

    Information and Communication Technology, and French will be written on Wednesday with Mathematics, Ghanaian Language and Culture on Thursday, before ending with Social Studies on Friday.

    An examination timetable issued to headteachers by WAEC confirmed that visually and hearing-impaired candidates would be given an extra one and half hour against the time allotted to other candidates.

    The BECE is used by the GES to select qualified candidates for Senior High Schools and Technical Institutes across the country.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Stranded BECE candidates resort to canoes to write exams in Saboba District

    The fate of over 200 candidates who will be beginning their Basic Education Certificate Examinations on Monday, September 14 have resorted to using canoes to cross to Saboba to write their examinations.

    This is because torrential rains within the week have swamped the bridges on river Jamboabo, making it impassable to the district capital.

    While the brave ones are daring with canoes on river Jamboabo after Wapuli community, there is the likelihood that some may not join for fear of getting drown with the canoes.

    In all 1,662 candidates made up 885 boys and 777 girls from 39 Junior High Schools in Saboba District are writing the examinations this year.

    Mr. George Kitingyaab Bingrini the Saboba District Chief Executive announced this at the bank of Jamboabo River to monitor the crossing of candidates by canoe.

    Some of the Schools include; Kpalba EP, Demon D.A, Namongbalni D.A, Wapuli D.A, Yankazia S.D.A, Wapuli R/C, Ogando D.A, Boakol S.D.A Junior High Schools amongst others.

    Mr Bingrini said it was the first time they had such floods in the District and the Assembly had to arrange for canoes to use to cross some of the candidates whose communities were affected to enable them get to Saboba the examination centre.

    He said although it was frustrating the candidates had to go through the waters to join the canoes and wished them good luck in their exams.

    He said the Yendi to Saboba through the Kpalba steel bridge was awarded on contract to a contractor but because of the floods he could not start work.

    Mr. Jumah Yakubu the Saboba District Coordinating Director who accompanied the District Chief Executive said the Assembly had to buy large quantity of Live Jackets for the candidates to wear and cross river Jamboabo to ensure their safety of the candidates.

    Master John Jagri , a candidate told the GNA that although it was dangerous with the canoes, they had no other option than to use it.

    Two vehicles, a Benz bus and a cargo truck which tried to cross the river through the Bailey bridge got stuck in the flood and would remain there until the water subsides.

    Source: GNA

  • More than 1,600 candidates to sit for BECE in Akontombra district

    A total of 1,649 final year students from 38 public and 18 private schools are expected to write this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination ( BECE) in the Sefwi-Akontombra District of the Western North region.

    Of the figure, 951 are males and 698 are females.

    Akontombra senior high school, Nsawora-Edumafua community senior high school, Esaase, Ackaakrom and Nkwadum are the selected examination centres.

    Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Nsawora on preparations ahead of the examination on Monday, Mr Thomas Koffie, Akontombra District Director of Education, said the directorate had adequate measures to ensure smooth conduct of the examination.

    He cautioned headteachers against the collection of illegal fees from the candidates since the government had taken care of all expenses concerning the examination.

    Mr Koffie called on parents and guardians to report any teacher, who collects unapproved fees to the education directorate for the necessary actions to be taken.

    He cautioned headteachers who might have taken monies from parents to refund them else they would be sanctioned.

    The District Director of Education advised the students to revise what they were taught and to desist from examination malpractices.

    In a related development, Mr Alex Djornobuah Tetteh, Member of Parliament for the area and Deputy Western North Regional Minister has presented 1,649 mathematical sets to the education directorate for distribution to all the BECE candidates in the district.

    According to him, this was the fourth time he was giving out mathematical sets to BECE candidates since he became Member of Parliament for the Akontombra constituency.

    He called on invigilators to be professional and desist from intimidating the candidates so that they could have a free mind to write the examination.

    The MP called on the candidates to obey all rules governing the conduct of the examination to pass well to enjoy the Free Senior High School Education.

    Source: GNA

  • Ho West NPP Primary aspirants support BECE candidates

    Dr David Togbe Nfodjo, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary aspirant for Ho West, has donated Mathematical sets to Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates.

    The items, which cost GHC 5,500.00 were distributed to a total of 1,456 candidates in 68 public and private Junior High Schools in the Ho West Constituency.

    Mr Evans Lantor, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the aspirant, said the items were to encourage the candidates to give off their maximum in the final examination so they would progress to the next level of the educational ladder.

    “This is to support the candidates and give them confidence so they can write the exams and come out with flying colours and avoid a situation where students don’t have drawing tools,” he said.

    He urged them to endeavour to abide by rules and regulations that underpinned the examination and read the questions carefully before answering them.

    Mr Lantor implored them to be of good behaviour and not panic but remain calm and avoid any form of examination malpractice which could negatively affect their progression in the future.

    Some of the candidates who spoke to the Ghana News Agency were happy for the kind gesture and expressed their profound gratitude to the PC.

    Some of the beneficiary schools included; Dzolokpuita D/A, Akome- Gbota D/A, Akome- Gbogame E.P, Akome- Agate D/A Junior High Schools.

    Source: GNA

  • Well transport BECE candidates in flood-affected towns to exam centre Saboba DCE

    The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Saboba in the Northern Region, George Bigrini, says plans are in place to transport Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in Kpalba who have been cut-off due to floods, to the exam centre.

    Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Bigrini said the candidates will be conveyed to the centres via buses or canoes if need be.

    “We have made plans to procure vehicles, we are just waiting. We are organising canoes to the Wapulu side. We have a school across the river with a bigger bus at the Wapulu school.  We have made arrangements for the bus. So the plan is that, when we transport them to the other side of the river, the bus will take them to Saboba,” he noted.

    Some students in the Kpalba circuit in the Saboba District have appealed to the government to provide them with a means of crossing over to the district capital, Saboba, where their examination centre is located.

    They fear they may not be able to sit for the BECE beginning on Monday, September 14, 2020, as the roads have become impassable due to the floods.

    “We are afraid of the water bodies here. How are we going to write our first paper on Monday? We are pleading with the District Assembly to either find a means to get us to Soboba or allow us to write the exams in our school,” one of the candidates said.

    “We cannot cross the water to write the exams. If WAEC does not allow us to write in our school, we will miss out on the BECE,” another candidate said.

    Background

    Torrential rains in the northern part of Ghana coupled with spillage from the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso left hundreds of farmlands submerged.

    The Pwalugu bridge is also flooded to the waist level covering over a 1-km stretch of road.

    Six lives have been lost due to this.

    Almost every year, the flood gates of the Bagre dam are opened and this usually affects residents along the White and Black Volta rivers.

    Spillage of excess water from the dam is as part of a routine safety measure to ensure that the water is kept below the safe operating level of the dam in order to prevent it from collapsing.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Students in Northern Region fear missing out on BECE over floods

    Some students in the Kpalba circuit in the Saboba District of the Northern Region fear being unable to sit for the 2020 edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) due to the flooding issue in the area.

    According to the BECE candidates, centres where they are supposed to write the exams have become impassable due to the floods.

    About 200 candidates who are to sit for the BECE beginning Monday, September 14, 2020, fear they may not be able to participate in the final examination if the flood does not recede.

    They are thus calling on the government to either provide them with means of crossing over to Saboba, should the situation persist, or allow them to take the exams in their schools.

    “We are afraid of the water bodies here. How are we going to write our first paper on Monday? We are pleading with the District Assembly to either find a means to get us to Soboba or allow us to write in our school,” one of the students pleaded.

    “We cannot cross the water and go and write the exams. If WAEC does not allow us to write in our school, we will miss out on the BECE,” another candidate said.

    What happened?

    Torrential rainfall in the Northern part of Ghana coupled with spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso left hundreds of farmlands submerged.

    The bridge was flooded to the waist level covering over 1-km stretch of road.

    Six lives have been lost due to this.

    Almost every year, the flood gates of the Bagre dam are opened and this usually affects residents along the White and Black Volta rivers.

    Spillage of excess water from the dam is as part of a routine safety measure to ensure that the water is kept below the safe operating level of the dam in order to prevent it from collapsing.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • 2020 BECE: GES, WAEC promise to ensure sanctity of examination at all times

    The 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will start from Monday, September 14th 2020 to Friday, September 18th 2020 at all designated centres throughout the country.

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has therefore urged all candidates, Directors of schools and invigilators to take note of the dates.

    It has also cautioned students to desist from all forms of examination malpractice during the period.

    Meanwhile, the Management of GES in collaboration with WAEC have stated that it will ensure sanctity of examination at all times, ensuring that students who engaged in any form of malpractices are dealt with accordingly.

    “Management of GES in collaboration with WAEC will ensure sanctity of examination at all times. All cases of reported examination malpractices will swiftly be investigated and dealt with decisively,” the GES stated.

    Source: Atinka Online

  • WAEC releases time table for BECE

    The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) would begin on Monday, September 14, 2020, and end on Friday, September 18, 2020, in all the Registration Centers across the country for all Junior High School (JHS) final year students.

    The candidates will write the English Language, and Religious and Moral Education (RME) on Monday, Integrated Science, and Basic Design and Technology (BDT) on Tuesday.

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and French will be written on Wednesday with Mathematics, Ghanaian Language and Culture on Thursday and Social Studies on Friday.

    According to the Time Table issued to Headteachers and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed that visually and hearing-impaired candidates should be allowed one and half times the time allotted to other candidates.

    Meanwhile, both papers for each Subject are to be taken at one sitting without break and where the duration indicated on the question paper differs from that on the time table, the one on the question paper should be followed.

    Following the re-opening of schools for final year students in JHS, SHS, and tertiary institutions, the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) revised the examination date which was usually conducted in June each year.

    The BECE is used by the GES to select qualified candidates for senior high schools (SHSs) and Technical Institutes (TIs) across the country.

    The results of the examination are based on Continuous Assessment and the external examination with the Continuous Assessment forming 30% whilst the external examination would form 70% of the total assessment.

    Candidates in the third year of Junior High Schools approved by the Ghana Education Service are eligible to register to take part in this examination.

    Source: GNA

  • National PTAs demand immediate return home of all WASSCE, BECE students

    The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) has asked government to send all school children awaiting to write their final examinations home.

    “In the current circumstances, the children are psychologically unstable and would therefore, not be of sound mind to write the WASSCE and BECE examinations and come out successfully,” a decision taken at a National Executive Consultative Meeting indicated.

    “We, therefore, suggest that these examinations be postponed till the situation is brought under control.”, a statement by the association issued Monday, July 13 said.

    The association cited among other things the inadequacy of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the non-availability of same in some schools as some of the reasons they feels the children are not safe in school.

    Source: 3 News

  • Private schools in Tema record better results than public schools in BECE

    Private basic schools in the Tema Metropolis in 2019 recorded better results in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) than their counterparts in public schools as 87 per cent of their 1,800 candidates passed.

    Public schools in the Metropolis on the other hand, recorded an unimpressive 56 per cent pass out of the 2,014 candidates they presented.

    The Metropolis, according to statistics presented by Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, at a General Assembly Meeting, revealed that the area achieved a total of 71 per cent in the 2019 BECE.

    The data showed that 1,474 candidates made up of 726 boys and 748 girls from the private schools passed while a total of 1,011 candidates comprising of 453 boys and 558 girls from public basic schools passed.

    Mr Anang-La said 55 per cent of boys in public schools passed the BECE whereas 45 per cent failed while 58 per cent of girls in public schools passed whereas 42 per cent also failed.

    “This means that the 45% boys and 42% girls who failed their examination may not have the opportunity to benefit from the Free Senior High School Policy. We must do everything possible to make sure that this unacceptable result is not repeated”.

    He said, to improve the situation in subsequent exams, the TMA had instituted a number of mitigating strategies such as intensifying supervision teaching and learning process at the basic schools, provision of learning materials.

    He also encouraged the participation of parents in school development programmes as well as the need for the prevention of pupils from unproductive activities such as the patronage of gaming centres.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Tema private schools record better results than public schools in BECE

    Private basic schools in the Tema Metropolis in 2019 recorded better results in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) than their counterparts in public schools as 87 per cent of their 1,800 candidates passed.

    Public schools in the Metropolis, on the other hand, recorded an unimpressive 56 per cent pass out of the 2,014 candidates they presented.

    The Metropolis, according to statistics presented by Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, at a General Assembly Meeting, revealed that the area achieved a total of 71 per cent in the 2019 BECE.

    The data showed that 1,474 candidates made up of 726 boys and 748 girls from the private schools passed while a total of 1,011 candidates comprising of 453 boys and 558 girls from public basic schools passed.

    Mr Anang-La said 55 per cent of boys in public schools passed the BECE whereas 45 per cent failed while 58 per cent of girls in public schools passed whereas 42 per cent also failed.

    “This means that the 45% of boys and 42% of girls who failed their examination may not have the opportunity to benefit from the Free Senior High School Policy. We must do everything possible to make sure that this unacceptable result is not repeated”.

    He said, to improve the situation in subsequent exams, the TMA had instituted a number of mitigating strategies such as intensifying supervision teaching and learning process at the basic schools, provision of learning materials.

    He also encouraged the participation of parents in school development programmes as well as the need for the prevention of pupils from unproductive activities such as the patronage of gaming centres.

    Source: GNA

  • 2020 BECE for private candidates commences today

    The 2020 edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for private candidates begins today, Monday, February 10, 2020 across the country.

    It will end on Friday, February 14, 2020.

    2,154 students made up of 1,210 males and 944 females are expected to take part in this examination.

    Officials of the exam body West African Examination Council (WAEC) have said that 11 centres are to be used for the exams.

    Only candidates who previously sat for BECE but could not make the required grade(s) and first-time candidates who must be 16 years and above are allowed to sit for the examination.

    The Council has already wished all candidates success in their papers and urged the supervisors and invigilators to be vigilant during the examination.

     

    About BECE for private candidates

    The examination is for both certification and selection into Senior High Schools and Technical Institutes in Ghana.

    The examination is conducted in the regional capitals of Ghana in February each year.

     

    Source: citinewsroomÂ