Government proposes extending BECE from five to eight days to ease pressure on candidates

The Government of Ghana has announced plans to revise the structure of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), extending the examination period from the current five-day schedule to eight days to reduce pressure on candidates and improve their preparation time between papers.

Speaking at Aburi Girls’ Senior High School on Thursday, 10th June, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, acknowledged concerns about the intensity of the existing examination timetable.

“I understand that our schedule of the exams for BECE was just Monday to Friday, and that put many of you under some stress,” he stated.

According to the Minister, the revised timetable would allow the examination to begin on a Wednesday and conclude the following Wednesday, creating more space between papers and giving candidates additional time to study and recover.

“Accordingly, the government is reviewing the BECE exams calendar. So now the BECE will begin on Wednesday and end the following Wednesday so that adequate time is given to our learners to prepare for BECE across the country,” he explained.

He noted that the new arrangement would incorporate a weekend break during the examination period, enabling students to better manage the demands of the assessment.

Mr. Iddrisu further disclosed that the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service would oversee the implementation of the revised examination schedule.

Beyond the proposed BECE reforms, the Minister expressed satisfaction with improvements in food supply under the Free Senior High School programme, indicating that schools are currently experiencing fewer shortages than in previous years.

“I’m also happy to note that at least for the first time in many years we are not suffering from food shortages in school,” he said.

He attributed the improvement to the de-capping of the Ghana Education Trust Fund, which has strengthened support for the Free SHS feeding programme through the Ghana Commodity Exchange and Buffer Stock Company.

The Minister revealed that government had allocated GH¢4 billion this year to cater for student feeding across the country.

“This year alone, we allocated four billion Ghana cedis to take care of your feeding across the country,” he announced.

Mr. Iddrisu also highlighted plans to improve educational infrastructure nationwide through a proposed US$300 million initiative awaiting approval from the World Bank.

He disclosed that the programme seeks to upgrade 30 Category C schools to Category B status and 20 Category B schools to Category A, while Category A institutions would also benefit from additional investments aimed at improving learning environments.

The Education Minister concluded by commending the leadership of the headmistress of Aburi Girls SHS for her contribution to the school’s development and the welfare of students.

The proposed changes signal government’s efforts to enhance student well-being, improve educational infrastructure, and create a more supportive learning environment for learners across Ghana.