A total of 61 candidates with hearing and visual impairment from special education institutions in the Eastern Region are taking part in the ongoing 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The candidates include 44 hearing impaired students, made up of 26 males and 18 females, as well as 17 visually impaired candidates, comprising 10 males and 7 females.
During a visit to the Pentecost Preparatory School in Koforidua, some of the hearing-impaired candidates from the Koforidua School for the Deaf were observed writing the exams alongside their able-bodied counterparts.
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Although they write the same examination papers, the candidates with special needs are given an additional 30 minutes to enable them to complete their scripts.
“They run the same curriculum as the “normal” People without disabilities. They wrote the same examination the same questions with them the only difference is that they grant them extra time because of their disabilities”.Azuma Kwame Kennedy, Eastern Regional Special Education Coordinator stated.
While the exercise was largely smooth, challenges persist — particularly with interpreting intermittent instructions from supervisors .
Nonetheless, they expressed confidence of excelling in the examination.
The Eastern Regional Special Education Coordinator of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Azuma Kennedy Kwame, who has been touring the various centres, commended the candidates for their resilience and determination.
He acknowledged challenges in the implementation of inclusive education in the country due to inadequate funding.
Azuma Kennedy Kwame appealed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to consider including special education teachers among their examiners when marking scripts from special needs candidates.
“During the marking sometimes the Deaf they sign to their understanding so some of them too write according to how they sign so will suggest that if during markings WAEC can get Dmthose who reach in their schools to be selected as examiners so that they can mark for their papers for them”.
He explaind that such an inclusion will enhance fairness as such examiners better understand how the hearing impaired communicate and improve the overall assessment of special needs candidates.
The 2025 BECE began Wednesday June 11, 2025, with 55,831 candidates made up of 27,753 boys and 28,078 girls taking part in the exams in the region.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Obed Kojo Ansah
