The 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has officially commenced across Ghana, with strong warnings issued to both candidates and invigilators against examination malpractice.
More than 600,000 candidates are sitting for this year’s examination nationwide.
In the Ashanti Region alone, about 125,000 candidates are taking part; the highest regional candidature in the country.
Education authorities say all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure a smooth, fair, and credible examination process. These include tightened supervision and increased security presence at examination centres to deter any form of malpractice.
Both invigilators and candidates have been cautioned to strictly adhere to the rules, with sanctions awaiting anyone found culpable.
The Asokwa Municipal Director of Education, Rev. Oteng Marfo, issued a strong warning:
“Don’t carry any paper with you, don’t take phones. If you carry any paper and you are caught, your paper will be cancelled. When you carry a mobile phone and you are caught, the entire paper will be cancelled. For you the invigilators, no one should take money from any student. We should ensure all the rules and regulations governing BECE are strictly adhered to.”
In the Asokwa Municipality, key stakeholders visited selected examination centres to monitor proceedings and boost the morale of candidates.
The delegation, led by Rev. Oteng Marfo, included Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, and the Municipal Chief Executive, Amoh Kamel.
They interacted with candidates, encouraging them to remain confident and focused, while emphasizing the importance of integrity.
The Asokwa lawmaker, Patricia Appiagyei urged the candidates to believe in themselves and manage their time effectively during the exams.
“Believe that you can write and pass, and I also believe in you. I know you have prepared adequately for this particular exam, so don’t go with fear. Just relax. What is important is to apportion your time appropriately to your questions.”
The MCE for Asokwa, Amoh Kamel also motivated the students, describing the examination as a stepping stone to greater opportunities.
“This is another step in your life. It is the beginning of something new. So be bold and remain focused to enable you pass”.
Authorities say monitoring will continue across all centres throughout the examination period to ensure full compliance with regulations.
For candidates, the message given to them was that; success must be earned through hard work, not shortcuts.
By Ibrahim Abubakar
