Education think tank Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has criticised the structure of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), describing it as unfair and overly stressful for candidates. In a Facebook post on Thursday, May 7, Executive Secretary Kofi Asare argued that the current format places excessive pressure on students due to the number of subjects they must sit within a short period. He noted that the arrangement is outdated and fails to reflect modern assessment practices in other countries, where aptitude tests and continuous assessment are integrated into placement systems.
Mr. Asare further called for reforms to the BECE, proposing a reduction in examinable subjects to four core areas.
“Piling 10 subjects over a 5-day high-stakes BECE just for school placement is torture on learners. Reduce to 4 subjects: Math, English, Science & General Paper. Others even use an aptitude test plus continuous assessment. This is 2026, not 1996,” he said.
His comments come amid the ongoing 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination, during which more than 10 students and invigilators have reportedly been arrested over examination malpractice. The nationwide examination, organised by the West African Examinations Council, is expected to run until May 11, with 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools participating.
Source: Isaac Appiah-Kubi