A 14-year-old Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidate, Awudu Gariba, has tragically passed away after collapsing at the Adiembra Examination Centre in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
The incident occurred on Friday, June 13, 2025.
Awudu, a student of Nnuanua Number 1 Basic School, reportedly showed signs of illness during the previous day’s examination.
He was rushed to the Assin Adiembra CHPS compound for medical attention but, according to reports, was not attended to due to the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).
Despite his condition, Awudu returned to the examination centre on Friday to continue with his papers. Unfortunately, he collapsed while writing his first paper and was immediately rushed to the Assin Fosu Polyclinic, where he was pronounced dead.
The tragic event has cast a shadow over the ongoing BECE, which began on Wednesday, June 11, and is expected to end on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Confirming the incident in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, the Assin South District Education Director, Isaac Opoku, described the boy’s death as shocking and heartbreaking. He noted that arrangements were being made to officially inform the deceased’s family.