The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) of the Ministry of Education is urging students preparing to sit for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination to be focused and eschew all examination malpractices.

In a statement, the Ag Executive Secretary of NaCCA Dr Prince Armah said the exam is only an opportunity for the students to demonstrate what they have learnt over the last nine years.

“The Council wishes to assure all students of a chance to advance through senior secondary and technical schools around the country under the Free Senior High School policy initiated by His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo,” the statement said.

Background

A total of 517,332 final-year junior high school (JHS) students are expected to sit for the BECE in 2019.

They comprise 263,616 males and 253,716 females.

In 2018, a total of 509,824 candidates took the examination, an increase of 7,508 candidates in 2019.

The 2019 BECE candidates, who are from 16,871 public and private JHSs, will write the examination at 1,880 centres across the country.

The examination, which will be written from June 10 to 14, 2019, will be manned by 1,880 supervisors and 18,136 invigilators.

As expected there has been some level of anxiety from students and parents alike ahead of the exams but NaCCA has expressed confidence that the “students are well prepared and able to give a great account of themselves.”

“The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) of the Ministry of Education would like to wish all the students sitting for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination the very best.

“The Council prays that students’ efforts will be crowned with success and that it will be one they look back to with pride and satisfaction,” the statement said.