The BECE for School and Private Candidates, 2024 is scheduled to commence on Monday, July 8 with English Language and end on Monday, July 15, 2024, with Arabic.
BECE school candidates will be examined based on the newly introduced Common Core Curriculum, while Private Candidates will be examined on the old syllabus. As part of arrangements for the smooth conduct of the examination, the Guidelines, Scheme, and Structure of the examination with sample questions were developed and circulated to all heads of school. Interested stakeholders can also visit our website to have access to them.
Table of Contents
Entries for the Examination
At the end of the registration period, a total of 569,095 candidates, made up of 282,648 males and 286,447 females from 19,506 participating schools had registered for the school examination. This figure represents a decrease of 5.29% compared to the 2023 entry figure of 600,900. The examination will be held in 2,123 centers across the country. A total of 2,123 supervisors, 1,889 assistant supervisors, and 19,973 invigilators have been engaged to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination.
In respect of BECE for Private Candidates, 1,366 candidates, comprising 735 males and 631 females registered for the examination. This year’s figure is less by 25.7% compared with the 2023 entry figure of 1,839. Fifteen (15) centers, mainly in the regional capitals will be used for the BECE for Private candidates.
Pre-Examination Activities
The Council has undertaken the following activities to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination;
- Organization of sensitization programmes for a cross-section of candidates throughout the country, educating them on the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examination as well as providing tips for passing the Council’s examinations.
- Inspection of all depots for the storage of confidential materials to ensure that they meet the Council’s security requirements and where necessary works have been carried out on those that required fortification and refurbishment. Arrangements have been made with the Ghana Police Service for the provision of 24-hour guard for all storage depots in the country.
- Distribution of examination stationery items such as objective answer cards, answer booklets, pencils, etc. to the District Education Offices throughout the country.
- Holding briefing sessions for District Directors of Education, District Examination Officers, Supervisors, and Distributors from 24th to 28th June 2024 throughout the country to inform them of their role in ensuring the smooth conduct of the examination. Supervisors have been directed to brief invigilators for the examination at the various centers.
- Briefing of WAEC officers who will be in charge of the BECE depots from where there will be daily distribution of question papers took place on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. These Depot Keepers will undertake their assignments together with GES personnel, not below the rank of Assistant Director.
Provision of Access Arrangements for Candidates with Special Educational Needs
The Council has made reasonable accommodation adjustments to ensure that its examinations are more accessible to candidates with special educational needs. These include:
- Brailed papers for visually impaired candidates
- Large print papers for candidates with low vision
- Provision of additional time i.e. one and half times the time allotted to other candidates such as hearing-impaired candidates, candidates with Cerebral Palsy, and Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Use of computers for candidates with Cerebral Palsy and candidates who are visually impaired but cannot read Braille
CAUTION
The Council wishes to remind its stakeholders of the following rules and regulations concerning the examination:
- Mobile phones and other electronic communication devices are prohibited at examination centers. Neither Supervisors, Invigilators nor Candidates are permitted to bring mobile phones into the examination halls.
- Parents must ensure their wards do not send mobile phones to the examination centers. The candidate’s entire results would be canceled if found with a mobile phone. Supervisors/Invigilators are to search candidates thoroughly to ensure that they do not have in their possession mobile phone(s) or any other foreign material in the examination hall.
- Proprietors of the school, parents, headmasters, teachers, and all other persons not involved in the conduct of the examination are not allowed at the examination centers. The Council has made adequate arrangements for the security of the candidates at all centers across the country.
- Candidates must ensure that they write their names and index numbers in full on their answer booklets and question papers. The Council will not be in the position to allot scores to any candidate who fails to comply with these instructions. Invigilators are to remind candidates before the start of the examination to write their names and index numbers.
Examination Irregularities
The Council has noted with concern several cases where candidates write telephone numbers or the phrase “help me”, “call me”, “just call my mom” etc in their answer booklets. Others also insert various sums of money in their answer booklets, soliciting help from examiners. We wish to state clearly that this is classified as seeking external assistance and is a punishable offense. In addition, candidates should note that tearing part of the question paper or answer booklet during the examination, refusing to submit worked scripts after the examination, and seeking or receiving help from non-candidates are forms of examination malpractice.
Appreciation
The Council expresses sincere appreciation to the well-meaning citizens of our country who have provided information on grand schemes by some persons to engage in massive cheating and other acts contrary to the rules governing the examination. We caution them to desist from this as no one will be spared if found out. There is evidence to prove that these candidates if left to do independent work, can pass with flying colors. Let no one be the reason for which these young ones may have their results canceled.
Monitoring and Inspection of Examination Centres.
The staff of the Council, Ghana Education Service, and GNAT, personnel from the Ghana Police Service, National Security, and National Intelligence Bureau as well as external monitoring agents recruited by the Council will be monitoring the examinations. These personnel would carry identification cards on them. We urge supervisors to request these cards if they are suspicious of any persons purporting to be monitors.
Find:
Past Questions (PASSCO) for BECE and WASSCE Candidates PDF
BECE Syllabus Topics and Structure for Examination
Subjects for BECE Registration
Senior High School (SHS) Selection for BECE Candidates in Ghana
Conclusion
The Council is soliciting the collective effort of all examination officials (Supervisors, Invigilators, and Distributors) heads of school, and leaders in the community to ensure the smooth conduct of the examinations. Meanwhile, candidates should be wary of the activities of rogue website operators, whose primary aim is to circulate fake questions and lure them into subscribing to these questions thereby taking their focus off their books.
We wish to appeal to all and sundry, especially the motoring public, to be extra careful during the examination week. The examination candidates are vulnerable and will need assistance while crossing the road or boarding vehicles to their examination centers. Please be patient with them and assist where necessary to avoid any unfortunate incidents.
Parents and guardians are being reminded to ensure that children on medication are provided with their medication.
The Council wishes all candidates success in their papers and reminds them that they can pass their examination without cheating.