Sekondi, April 14, GNA - About 34,000 students would participate in the Basic Education Certificate examination (BECE) in 116 centres in the Western Region this year. In addition, 10,143 students would sit for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) in 41 schools in the region.

Mr Michael Adjei, Western Regional Branch Controller of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) speaking to newsmen at Sekondi on Monday said the council had made arrangements for the two examinations. He urged the candidates to be careful about the new WAEC laws that were punitive. Mr Adjei explained that under Act 719 of 2006 candidates found to be in possession of examination papers, would pay a penalty ranging between 1,200 Ghana cedis and 3,000 Ghana cedis. He said the law prohibited impersonation, use of mobile phones at examination centres, assaulting an invigilator, inspector or supervisor.

Mr Adjei said anyone arrested for such an offence would pay between 600 Ghana cedis and 1,200 Ghana cedis as a fine or in addition be imprisoned and prohibited from writing examinations for three years. He said a WAEC manual 'Direction to Candidates" has been forwarded to headmasters to assist students in their preparation towards the examinations. "We have also organised sensitization workshops for some selected schools in the region, as part of efforts to ensure an incident free examination," he added.

Mr Adjei reminded the candidates that honesty was the best legacy and should therefore endeavour to avoid any examination malpractice. He urged parents to encourage their children to study and prepare themselves adequately for the examinations. Mr Adjei asked stakeholders to collaborate with officials of WAEC to make the examinations incident free and noted that in some communities, most people were usually found lurking in bushes around examination centres.