More than 620,000 candidates across Ghana are expected to sit for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) beginning today, Monday, May 4, under stricter measures aimed at preventing examination malpractice.
The nationwide examination, organised by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), will run until May 11, with a total of 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools participating.
As candidates prepare to write the crucial examination, WAEC has issued a strong warning against all forms of malpractice, stressing that offenders will face severe sanctions.
The Council said candidates found with unauthorised materials, including mobile phones, would be sanctioned, adding that strict monitoring systems had been put in place at examination centres across the country.
WAEC also cautioned candidates against misconduct toward supervisors and invigilators, warning that any acts of assault, intimidation, or disruption would attract serious consequences.
The heightened measures form part of efforts to protect the credibility of the examination, which plays a critical role in determining students’ placement into senior high schools.
In a related development, the Ghana Education Service (GES) announced that officials under investigation for alleged involvement in malpractice during last year’s BECE have been barred from participating in this year’s exercise.
Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, Director-General of GES, said the move was intended to strengthen public confidence in the examination process and ensure strict compliance with regulations.
“All supervisors and invigilators under investigation for their alleged involvement in last year’s BECE have been barred from participating,” he stated.
Education authorities have expressed confidence that the enhanced safeguards will help ensure a smooth and credible examination process nationwide.
