By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
The start of this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examinations, BECE, in the Ashanti region has been characterised by a lack of first Aid for emergency health situations at the Examination Centres.
Correspondent Nicholas Osei-Wusu reports that there are also cases of isolated absenteeism at Centres visited by with one of them, a boy, reported to have passed on about two weeks before the start of the exercise.
A total of 124,094 candidates were expected to sit the exam which began today, Monday 4th May, 2026 across the Ashanti region, the highest in the country for this year.
The Kumasi Anglican SHS is hosting 410 candidates from 14 public and private basic schools at two centres—Centres ‘A’ and ‘B’.
At the time Radio Ghana arrived at at Centre ‘A’, the candidates had just begun writing the first Paper—English Language Paper 2—under a very calm and serene atmosphere with all the logistics and examination officials available.
One candidate had been confirmed absent and said to have traveled after registering for the exam.
The Supervisor, Joseph Atta Wiafe, told GBC that, the officials gave the candidates an orientation before the start of the exercise to clam them from anxiety. He said no police officer had reported at the Centres at the time of the visit.
“First, GES was bringing first aid but we have a Sick bay here. I’ve informed all the teachers here that, in case anyone falls sick, they should send the child there,” the Supervisor told our Correspondent.
Mr. Wiafe said there was no police deployment to any of the two Centres, even though one policeman escorted the examination materials.
The Asokore Mampong Municipality is presenting 3,243 candidates. The Kumasi Academy, KUMACA, is hosting three of the Centres, including Centre ‘A’ which was scheduled to host 202 of the candidates but had two absentees.
Radio Ghana met the Municipal Examinations Officer, Alhaji Haruna Awudu Iddrisu, touring the centres. Alhaji Iddrisu gave an overview of the conduct of the exams in the Municipality.
“For security and logistical supplies, everything is set. Ghana Police gave us an escort and centre police to protect life and property at the various Centres. For absenteeism, there are a couple of them but the Supervisors are compiling the names”, the Municipal Exams Officer assured.
At the T.I. Ahmadiyya JHS ‘B’ in the Asokwa Municipality, the Supervisor, Mustapha Abubakari, told GBC that, five schools with 228 expected candidates were being hosted at the only Centre. He said two of the candidates were absent for the first Paper as they were reported to have traveled ahead of the start of the exam.
Though late reporting by some candidates was observed at some of the centres, the incident was not widespread.
At the Vidash Schools Complex in the Afigya Kwabena district, three Centres have been created to host an expected 778 candidates from 13 schools from both the public and private streams.
At the time of GBC’s visit to the Centres, only one candidate was reported absent with no officially assigned reason yet.
