The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Cynthia Maamle Morrison has advised the 531,674 candidates writing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to refrain from all forms of examination malpractices.

Wishing the candidates well, she admonished them to remain calm, not allow fear take over them but write the exams with confidence.

She commended the teachers and parents for preparing the candidates for the examination which would pave way for them to enter senior high school.

Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, she was hopeful the candidates would come out with flying colours and enter the senior high schools under the free SHS policy.

Meanwhile, she has announced that 17,440 schools would be benefitting from free hot meal during the peRiod of the BECE.

The 2020 BECE will begin today, Monday, September 14 to Friday, September 18 at all designated Examination Centres throughout the country.

A total of 531,705 candidates are expected to sit for this year’s BECE in 2,007 examination centres across the country.

Out of the figure, 269,419 are males while 262,286 are females.