The Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang, toured several Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) centres in the Kumasi Metropolis on Wednesday, urging candidates to remain disciplined and focused throughout the examination period.
Speaking after interacting with some students ahead of their first paper, the mayor expressed confidence in their preparedness. “It was clear from my conversations with them that the majority have adequately prepared for the exams, and that gives me hope,” he said.
During his visit to Adventist SHS BECE Center, Reformation Centre at the Kumasi Central Prisons School, presented five inmates for the BECE as part of their rehabilitation process.
The Mayor donated money to encourage them and promised to sponsor WAEC registration for six additional inmates preparing for WAECCE in the months.
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He assured the candidates that their performance in the BECE could open doors to educational opportunities and potentially support their reintegration into society.
Meanwhile, despite a higher number of private basic schools in the Kumasi Metropolis, public school candidates have outnumbered those from private institutions in the ongoing BECE.
According to Kumasi Metro Director of Education, David Oppong, out of a total of 9,846 candidates writing the exams in Kumasi, 6,713 (68%) are from public schools, while 3,133 (32%) represent private schools. This is notable given that the metropolis hosts more private schools (139) than public ones (95).
Mr. Oppong disclosed these figures during a monitoring tour of 35 designated examination centres across the city. He expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the exams so far and highlighted the significance of the strong public school turnout.
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“It’s encouraging to see public school enrolment remain strong and even dominate, despite the growing number of private schools in the city,” he noted.
Of the total candidates, 4,693 are boys and 5,153 are girls.
The BECE is a pivotal assessment in Ghana’s educational structure, determining placement into senior high schools nationwide.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Isaac Justice Bediako
