The students crying
Two students of the Gomoa Buduatta DA Junior High School were denied access to write the first paper of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) on Monday because they were not registered by the school.
According to reports, the students paid their registration fees to the headmaster, Richard Ahanogbe, but they were never registered, as the headmaster is alleged to have used the money meant for their registration to solve an urgent family matter.
This led to their exclusion from the ongoing examination due to lack of index numbers.
MoE To Probe
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has assured the public of its commitment to probe matters relating to the alleged embezzlement of registration fees by the headmaster of Gomoa Buduatta DA Junior High School in the Central Region.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, disclosed that officials of the ministry have received reports making the rounds in the media space regarding the headmaster of Gomoa Buduatta DA, stressing that, the ministry has promised all affected persons it will investigate the alleged embezzlement of registration fees.
He said the government covers the costs for final-year students in public junior high institutions, so parents do not need to pay headmasters or teachers.
“When it comes to the BECE or West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), students in public schools do not have to pay a registration fee, unlike students in private schools.
“As part of the free basic education package, the Ghanaian government has apparently covered the entire cost of BECE registration and the entire educational cost,” he explained.
Kwasi Kwarteng advised parents not to pay examination fees to headmasters and teachers.
In a subsequent development, two private teachers were arrested by the police on Monday for engaging in examination malpractices at the Dunkwa Secondary Technical Centre in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region.
According to the police report, the two suspects named Albert Adu-Gyan and Yaw Adadai, tutors at PEEBLE Calvary and Oxford Santech schools respectively, were arrested when they attempted to smuggle into the examination hall some solved examination questions for candidates sitting the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at the centre.
Items retrieved from the two suspects include two mobile phones and solved questions on two separate papers. Both suspects are in custody and will be tried.
“We would like to caution the public against indulging in examination malpractices in the ongoing BECE as the Police will arrest any person involved in such practices,” the report stated.
Exams Crisis
One student writing the BECE at the Yamfo Anglican Senior High Examination Centre on Monday couldn’t write one of the papers due to a seizure, according to the centre supervisor.
The student, whose name was not disclosed, was rushed to Yamfo Health Centre where he was resuscitated and wrote the second paper.
According to the supervisor, Sidik Nketia, the student wrote the second paper on English Language. However, he forfeited Religious and Moral Education (RME) for the day. “As a result, we had to write a report and attach it to his paper,” he stated.
Mr. Sadik further revealed that two female students have been absent since the examination started. There is also one visible pregnant candidate writing the exams, he told the paper.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke & Daniel Y Dayee