BECE takes off smoothly: Candidates adhere to COVID-19 protocols
This year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) took off smoothly across the country yesterday with candidates adhering strictly to COVID-19 safety protocols.
At the various examination centres, candidates and officials had their nose masks on while Veronica buckets, soap and tissue paper were placed at vantage points near the examination centres.
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Hand sanitiser was also made available to candidates and officials supervising the examination.
Accra
Emmanuel Bonney reports that at some examination centres in Accra, nurses were on standby to deal with any emergency. There was also police presence at the centres to ensure law and order. Centres visited were the Ngleshie Amanfro Senior High School (SHS), Christian Methodist SHS and Accra Academy.
At Ngleshie Amanfro, the three centres had a total of 805 candidates, with eight absentees.
According to the Ga South Municipal Director of Education, Mr Henry Ayetse, who toured the examination centres, the processes were smooth at the time of his rounds.
At the Christian Methodist SHS, there were 13 private schools with a total of 252 candidates.
Swedru
The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, accompanied by some officials of the Ministry of Education and the District Chief Executive for Agona East, Mr Dennis Armah-Frimpong, toured some examination centres in the Agona East District in the Central Region, reports Gilbert Mawuli Agbey.
The team, which visited centres at Nsaba SHS, Swedru SHS, Kwanyako Senior High Technical School (KWASTECH) and Agona Asafo, also inspected the ongoing construction of development projects in the schools.
A total of 2,085 candidates from public and private basic schools, made up of 1,036 boys and 1,049 girls, are taking part in the examination.
Cape Coast
Shirley Asiedu-Addo writes from Cape Coast that a total of 58,169 candidates, including 29,568 boys and 28,601 girls are sitting the examination in the region.
They are from 1,913 schools, including 1,251 public schools and 652 private schools.
The Central Regional Director of Education, Mrs Martha Owusu-Agyemang, urged the candidates not to be afraid of the examination, but must be determined and confident.
When the Daily Graphic visited the Adisadel College centre, the supervisor, Mr Francis Ato Davies, said the examination took off smoothly at 9:15 a.m.
Bolgatanga
From Bolgatanga,Vincent Amenuveve reports that in the Upper East Region, a total of 22,532 candidates, including 11, 775 females are writing the examination at 90 centres.
When the Daily Graphic visited four of the centres (A,B,C and D), all located at the Bolgatanga Girls SHS at 9:45a.m. candidates were already seated writing their first paper - English Language 2.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Tangoba Abayage, accompanied by the Regional Director of Education, Mr Edward Azure, toured some of the centres at BOGISS, the Bolgatanga Technical Institute and the Zamse Senior High Technical School (ZAMSTECH).
Sunyani
From Sunyani, Biiya Mukusah Ali, reports that most candidates were full of smiles and confidence at the end of the English Language paper in the morning which they claimed was manageable.
The examination started smoothly as there were no reported cases of malpractice.
Statistics
A total of 531,705 candidates are writing the 2020 BECE. Of the number, 269,419 are males and 262,286, females.
The Ashanti Region has presented the highest number of candidates — 106,857, made up of 54,025 males and 52,832 females.
WAEC has deployed 18,716 invigilators to monitor the 17,440 public and private schools that are taking part.
The 2,007 examination centres are also being manned by 2,007 supervisors and 1,719 assistant supervisors.
This examination, which should have been written from June 15 to 19, 2020, had to be rescheduled due to the closure of schools on March 15 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
