WAEC Tightens Security Of BECE Examination Materials.

The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) has introduced stringent security measures to prevent leakage of the examination question papers in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).

The examination conducting body had introduced security mail bags with tag numbers, a padlock and three keys that would be kept by three persons at different strategic locations.

Mr Patrick Sumailar Wayoe, Sekondi Controller of WAEC, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the security measures were taken to curb occasional leakage of examination question papers which often had financial implications on WAEC.

He said the new security arrangement demanded that the District Education Director, the WAEC depot keeper and the examination supervisor stationed at the examination centre would keep the keys, adding that the measure aimed at preventing the possibility of the mail bags from being tampered with.

Mr Wayoe disclosed that a total of 44,094 candidates were writing the BECE in the Western Region, comprising 23,602 males and 20,492 females.

He said the examinations would take place at 127 centres across the region, involving 1,312 schools, and indicated that the Ghana Police Service had released police personnel to maintain law and order at all the centres.

Mr. Wayoe stressed that the police personnel would also escort examination materials, while others would be stationed at the WAEC depots to prevent examination question papers from being leaked.

He advised the candidates to observe the rules and regulations governing the examinations, and entreated supervisors and invigilators to protect the sanctity of the examinations.

He warned candidates not to send mobile phones and any foreign materials to the examination hall, in order not to take undue advantage over others.

The examination begins on Monday, June 15 and ends on Friday, June 19.

In all, the candidates are being examined in nine subjects, namely, English Language, Religious and Moral Education, Integrated Science, Basic Design and Technology, Mathematics, Ghanaian Language, Social Studies, French and Information and Communication Technology.

Source: GNA.