The Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has stated that there are sufficient spaces in over 900 Senior High Schools (SHS)/Technical and
Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to admit all 600,714 candidates taking this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The requirement for admission is for the candidates to pass the BECE, making them eligible to benefit from the Free SHS (Free Senior High School) program.
The Deputy Minister conveyed this message while interacting with BECE candidates at St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School in Accra. He, along with the Greater Accra Director of Education, Stephen Bamfo, assured the candidates of the government’s
commitment to supporting their education and encouraged them to work hard to take advantage of the Free SHS/FTVET program to shape their future aspirations.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour cautioned the candidates against seeking help from others during the exam, reminding them that each candidate had a different set of questions even if they were in the same examination hall. He addressed media concerns
about the potential cancellation of the BECE, clarifying that there were no discussions or policies to terminate the BECE, and that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) remained a key partner in education development.
The Deputy Minister acknowledged a few isolated incidents of infractions at specific examination centers across the country, describing them as unfortunate.
He emphasized that those involved would be dealt with severely as a deterrent to others and to prevent further examination malpractices.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour expressed optimism that the arrest of a few teachers indicated the effectiveness of the stringent measures put in place to curb all forms
of exam malpractices. He emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting WAEC in fulfilling its mandate for the development of education in the country.
