Sekondi, April 20, GNA - The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which took off throughout the country on Monday continue smoothly on the second day without any hitch in all the 102 centres in the Western Region.

Mr Divine Agbenyo, Deputy Branch Controller at the Regional Office of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sekondi on Tuesday that reports reaching his office from the centres indicate that "Everything is going on smoothly."

He said there had not been any complainant about examination malpractices so far and that it would be difficult for the Council to say at this stage whether there had been absenteeism because it was concerned with the conduct of the examination.

He said there was bound to be absenteeism in any examination as a result of illnesses and pregnancy but large absenteeism was not expected.

Mr. Agbenyo said all centres had been supplied with examination materials, which were been kept under tight security. 20 April 04