By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, May 04, GNA – The Central Region had seen a slight increase in female candidates with disabilities participating in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which is proceeding smoothly with no reported logistical or security issues at centres visited by the Ghana News Agency on Monday.
Of the region’s 68,091 total BECE candidates, 104 have disabilities including 59 females.
This includes 46 with visual impairments made up 31 females, 15 males and 31 with hearing impairments comprising 16 females, 15 males.
Four females have cerebral palsy, while 16 others have learning difficulties, made up of nine males, seven females.
Additionally, there are four physically challenged students comprising three males, one female and two males with intellectual and developmental disorder and one male with dyslexia, a learning disorder affecting reading, spelling, and writing unrelated to intelligence, are taking the exam.
Enrolment shows strong gender equity, with 34,000 girls and 33,111 boys, as public schools have 26,167 boys and 25,258 girls, while private schools feature 7,853 boys and 8,813 girls.
The total number of candidates are sitting the exams across 2,508 schools in the Region, made up of 1,418 public and 1,090 private.
Dr Juliette Dufie Otami, Central Regional Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), during a tour in the Cape Coast Metropolis, visited some centres including Holy Child School, Effutu Senior High School and Cornelia Connelly Centre.
Generally, the GNA observed orderliness at all centres, despite some absenteeism recorded at some centres where students had travelled outside Ghana.
The exams commenced on schedule with no major logistical issues, though a few centres initially lacked security personnel, a situation that was swiftly resolved by authorities.
Dr Otami was impressed about the overall conduct and urged parents to ensure the candidates were punctual.
She urged the candidates to uphold integrity, eschew examination malpractices at all costs because cheating could undermine your future.
Dr Otami urged them to always arrive early at centres with essentials like pens, mathematical sets and identification cards.
She warned against prohibited items such as mobile phones, calculators and unauthorised notes, which could lead to immediate ejection.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey /Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Isaac Arkoh