More than 600,000 students are sitting for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which begins Tuesday, June 11 and ends Tuesday, June 18, 2025.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) say they are fully prepared to ensure a smooth and credible examination across the country.
According to WAEC, a total of 603,328 candidates have registered for the BECE for School Candidates, made up of 297,250 males and 306,078 females from 20,395 schools.
This represents a 5.99 percent increase over the 2024 entry figure of 569,236.
In addition, 1,661 private candidates, including 858 males and 803 females, have also registered to take part in the exams, a 19.49 percent increase from the previous year.
The examinations will be held at 2,237 centres for school candidates and 15 regional centres for private candidates.
WAEC has stated that school and private candidates will write the same set of questions.
However, some private candidates will be examined using the old syllabus. WAEC has announced that this will be the last time the old syllabus is used.
At a press conference in Accra on Monday, June 9, GES Director-General Professor Ernest Kofi Davis reiterated the importance of integrity during the exams.
He warned candidates against cheating and cautioned invigilators and supervisors to maintain the highest standards of professionalism.
According to him, any official caught aiding malpractice risks losing their job.
Prof. Davis highlighted that all timetables and examination materials have already been dispatched to the various districts.
He noted that supervision of the exams will be a joint effort between the GES, WAEC, and the Ghana Police Service to ensure order at examination centres.
Meanwhile, WAEC assured that provisions have been made to accommodate candidates with special educational needs.
The council also reminded all stakeholders of the revised rules introduced in 2023 for handling exam irregularities.
These include rules addressing misconduct by officials, live question leaks online, inscriptions on clothing or the body, and multiple registrations in both public and private schools.
WAEC urged all candidates to strictly follow the examination rules and called on stakeholders to ensure calm and discipline throughout the examination period.
