The West African Examination Council (WAEC) on April 16 announced that the 2004 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) would be written nation-wide from April 19-23.

This was contained in a news release by the Council signed by Mrs. Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, Public Relations Officer of the National Office. It said a total of 278,413 candidates made up of 152,871 boys and 125,542 girls would write the examination at 1,038 centres throughout the country and a total number of 7,428 schools had registered their candidates for the exam.

The Council cautioned candidates and the public to be wary of persons who purport to have in their possession question papers of any kind adding that the council is very alert and will not hesitate to deal with any candidate, school, centre, supervisor or invigilator who infringes any of its rules or disrupt the conduct of the examination in any manner.

The statement advised candidates to desist from engaging in malpractices during the examination, which could lead to the cancellation of their results.

The total percentage increases over 2003 candidature were 278,413 candidates which include 152,871 boys, 125,542 girls all totaling 3.64 percent.