Candidates writing this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at Sandema in the Builsa North District of the Upper East Region were on Monday, beside themselves with joy after the first English language paper.

The candidates who are from seven schools namely; the Bilinsa Junior High School (JHS), Afoko, Kalijiisa, Kori, Anankum, Success International and the Akak-Yeri JHSs within the District, sat in for the paper at the Sandema Senior High Technical School at about 0900 hours.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that all candidates from the seven schools discussed their experiences among themselves, while their teachers also engaged and urged them to stay focused.

Emmanuel Adungchaab, the Senior Boys Prefect of the Bilinsa JHS told the GNA in an interview that “the paper was fine, I managed to answer most of the questions. I hope the rest of the papers will be mild for us to the end.”

Gifty Asubil another candidate from Anankum JHS said the questions were good. “The school mock exam was even more difficult than this one. For me, this paper was cool,” she added.

Fidelia Akannagzuk from the Kori JHS said “As for me, I am sure I will get A1 in this English language paper if they mark. I am very sure of myself and what I wrote. It is my prayer that all the papers will be like that.”

Christopher Akonsa, another candidate from Bilinsa JHS similarly, was happy about the outcome of the examination saying “It was fine, most of the things I learnt came in the exams, the next paper is Religious and Moral Education, I am ready to face that one too.”

The GNA also observed that the candidates were all in their face masks in the examination hall with very strict supervision from examination officials, but immediately took their masks off when they went outside after the examination.