This year's Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) would be conducted from August 14 to 18 with 233, 771 students writing the test in either nine or 10 subjects.

This year's figure is 31 more than last year's of 233,740, with Ashanti Region presenting the highest number of 46,517 candidates. Reverend John Adotey, Head of the Test Administration Division of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

He said Greater Accra Region would be presenting 46,220, Eastern Region 29,195 and Central Region 24, 385 candidates.

The others are Western Region 21,599, Brong Ahafo 21,205, Volta 22,366 and Northern Region 11,495 candidates.

The Upper East would present 6,349 and Upper West 4,440 candidates.

Reverend Adotey said examinations conducted in the country should be seen as national exercises and a civic responsibility of all to ensure that they are done in a transparent and honest manner.

He, therefore, called on the public, students, invigilators and supervisors to be honest and patriotic to make this year's examinations a success.

Rev. Adotey explained that examinations are crucial to the society, especially parents and their wards, so they should be conducted in a fair manner.

"WAEC rely on third parties such as supervisors and invigilators; they must therefore be vigilant at all the centres."

Rev. Adotey hinted that the WAEC has received a number of complaints and letters concerning malpractices at some examination centres and assured the public that it will take punitive action against those culprits as soon as investigations are completed.

"Candidates found to be cheating may have their entire papers cancelled or even be banned for life, depending on the gravity of the offence."

Rev. Adotey announced that WAEC has instituted internal measures, which would deal ruthlessly with WAEC personnel involved in any form of malpractices.

He, therefore, cautioned invigilators and supervisors not to allow themselves to be influenced, especially by parents, who might offer them money to assist their wards to cheat in examinations.

"We want students to be well assessed on their capabilities so that the international bodies will have confidence in WAEC as well as the certificates it issues."

WAEC has sent codified examination rules to all schools so that every candidate is made aware of the dos and don'ts at examination centres.

He said that next year's BECE would be conducted in April, in view of the changes in the academic calendar. — GNA