350,888 Write BECE

Published in the Daily Graphic on 20/04/2010 pg 17 (Spread or middle)

Story: Matilda Attram
THIS year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) began throughout the country yesterday with 350,888 registered candidates.
The examination, which will last five days, is taking place at 1,278 centres, with candidates answering questions from seven subjects.
The subjects are English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, Integrated Science and Basic Design Technology, which form the core subjects of the examination.
The rest are, French and Local Languages, which form the elective subjects of the examination.
On a tour to some selected centres in Accra by the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, most of the candidates appeared confident as they wrote English Language, which was the first subject.
At the Achimota School Complex, which is under the Okaikoi Sub Metro, which hosted 1,158 candidates from 15 schools, the examination started 20 minutes late due to the uneven distribution of shading pencils.
The PRESEC Staff School and the West Africa Senior High School (WASS), which are centres in the Ga East District, had a total of 1,304 candidates including three pregnant candidates from 27 schools sitting for the examination.
Four candidates were absent at the time of the minister’s visit to those centres.
At the Adentan Municipality, 1,475 candidates were expected to sit the examination, but nine candidates were absent during the visit.
Giving his overall impression of the conduct of the candidates, Mr Tettey-Enyo commended them for turning out in their numbers to sit the examination and wished them well.
He advised them to eschew any examination malpractice and approach the examination by answering the questions to the best of their ability.
He asked invigilators at the various centres not to compromise their integrity, but help to ensure a smooth conduct of the examination.