2023 BECE takes off smoothly in Accra

By Christabel Oboshie ANNAN, Accra

The 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) began smoothly yesterday across the country with no irregularity recorded after the first paper.

The candidates wrote Religious and Moral Education and English Language yesterday as the first and second papers, respectively, on the first day.

On Tuesday, they would write Integrated Science and Ghanaian Language and then on Wednesday, Social Studies and Basic Design and Technology.

Thursday will be Mathematics and Information and Communication Technology and Friday, French.

The one-week examination will end on Friday, August 11, 2023, nationwide.

A total of 600,714 candidates, comprising 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 participating schools registered for the school examination.

The number of candidates that registered for this year’s examination is 8.8 per cent higher than the year 2022 entry figure of 552,276.

For private candidates, a total entry figure of 1,743 candidates registered for the examination.

The examination is being conducted at 2,137 examination centres across the country for school candidates.

Private candidates are taking the examination at 15 centres, mainly in regional capitals.

At the various centres The Finder visited in Accra to assess the conduct of the examination, there were no irregularities recorded after the first paper.

Ayawaso East Municipal

At the Ayawaso East Municipal, candidates were writing at four centres, namely, the St. Paul Lutheran School, The Flagstaff House Basic School, the Nima Cluster of Schools and Kanda Cluster of Schools.

The Municipal Director for Education at the Ayawaso East, Adisa Tassa, stated that there were 1,222 students registered in the District with 642 of them being girls and 580 being boys.

She said that there were four supervisors at each Centre with four assistant supervisors and 42 invigilators.

She added that there were about 367 candidates registered to write the exams at the Flagstaff House Basic School.

She explained that these 367 candidates came from five schools.

The Municipal Director for Education at the Ayawaso East further said that six schools were assembled at the Kanda Cluster of Schools with 267 candidates.

“The Nima Cluster of Schools has 318 candidates and two students were absent. Those absent have been reported to have travelled abroad; reason they could not make it to write the exams,” she explained.

Before the paper started

Prior to starting the paper at the St. Paul’s Lutheran School, she encouraged the candidates to be confident about what they have studied over the years and not fear anything.

She noted that their teachers have taught them enough and have also learnt enough.

“Read carefully and make sure you’ve understood what is required of you before answering every questions on the paper” she advised.

Ms. Tassa hinted that this year’s papers have been serialised and as a result will help minimise cheating in the examination hall.

“This year, WAEC has serialised their questions. So the questions my Municipality is writing will not be the same as Ayawaso Central” she explained.

Candidates react after first paper

Diana Amonoo, a candidate from King’s Royal Preparatory School, told The Finder that the exam was ‘cool’ because most of the questions came from what they had studied in school.

“The only thing was that some of the questions were a bit tricky but when you pay attention, you’ll get it,” she added.

Firdaus Ahmed, another candidate from Kanda Estate 1 Basic School described the paper as ‘cool and normal’.

She stated that even though not everything she learnt came, she tried her best to answer the questions.

According to her, she anticipates that the rest of the paper will be much easier.

Princella Ameyona of Angels Day Care Preparatory School said she ‘immediately smiled when she saw the questions’.

She noted that the questions were easy since they came from most of the topics she studied.

“Looking at what I wrote, I expect to score grade 1 or 2 in Religious and Moral Education,” she said.

At the Private Odartey Lamptey Centre Four, all 176 candidates, 97 girls and 79 boys, were present for the examination.

At the Bishop Girls Basic School Centre in Accra Central, 191 candidates, 142 boys and 49 girls, sat for the examination.