Over 620,000 students nationwide are preparing to sit for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which begins on Monday, May 4, with stricter controls introduced to prevent malpractice.
The examination, organised by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), will take place from May 4 to May 11. A total of 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools are expected to take part across the country.
WAEC has emphasised its zero-tolerance policy on examination malpractice, urging candidates to comply fully with all rules and regulations during the period.
According to officials, any student caught engaging in malpractice will face serious penalties, including sanctions for possessing unauthorised items such as mobile phones.
The council further warned candidates against any form of indiscipline toward supervisors and invigilators, noting that acts like assault or disruption of the examination process will attract severe consequences.
In a related development, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, disclosed that officials linked to previous malpractice incidents have been excluded from this year’s exercise.
He stated that all supervisors and invigilators currently under investigation for their alleged roles in last year’s BECE have been disqualified from participating.
These measures are part of broader efforts by authorities to uphold the credibility and integrity of the BECE, which plays a crucial role in determining students’ placement into senior high schools.