Education Minister promises fair review for BECE students affected by accident
The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that investigations are underway to decide how to proceed with eight BECE candidates who missed their English Language exam after arriving late due to a road accident.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Presidency, the Minister said the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) are jointly assessing the cases to determine appropriate next steps.
The incident, which prevented the students from participating in a crucial BECE paper, has raised concerns about how such emergencies are handled in national exams.
“We are aware of this unfortunate situation. The Ministry is committed to handling these cases with fairness and compassion to ensure that affected students are not unfairly disadvantaged,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
He explained that a thorough review will be conducted, including gathering reports from schools, local education authorities, and health officials to support the assessment.
“If it is confirmed that the candidates were unable to write due to circumstances beyond their control, corrective measures will be taken,” the Minister added.
Mr. Iddrisu reiterated the Ministry’s dedication to fairness, integrity, and inclusion in examination processes, especially when dealing with minors whose academic futures may be impacted by unforeseen events.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the Minister’s statement, emphasizing the need for humane and flexible responses to emergencies during national exams. Civil society groups and parent-teacher associations have long called for stronger protocols to safeguard affected students.
The Minister also added that the BECE is a critical gateway for thousands of Ghanaian youths, and as such, the examination process must strike a balance between rigour and empathy.
