A little over 620,000 candidates will be writing the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) beginning today, Monday, May 4, with authorities putting measures in place to curb malpractices.
The examination, conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) nationwide, will run till Monday, May 11, 2026, with 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools expected to participate.
According to WAEC, it has strengthened measures to ensure examination malpractice is curbed, and has cautioned candidates to strictly comply with the rules and regulations throughout the period.
“Candidates found engaging in any form of malpractice will face severe sanctions,” an official said, stressing that possession of prohibited materials, including mobile phones, will not be tolerated.
Also, the Council has warned candidates not to misconduct themselves towards supervisors and invigilators, noting that assault or disruption could lead to serious consequences.
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ernest Kofi Davis, has meanwhile, said officials implicated in previous examination malpractices will not partake in this year’s exercise.
“All supervisors and invigilators under investigation for their alleged involvement in last year’s BECE have been barred from participating,” he said.
The tougher measures come as authorities seek to protect the credibility of the BECE, one of Ghana’s most important national examinations and the main pathway for placement into senior high schools.
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