More girls than boys in the Bawku Municipal have registered to write this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Out of the 1,765 candidates who registered, 884 were girls while 881 were boys; this, however, indicates that the girl-child education policy is taking shape and more girls and parents are beginning to understand the need to educate the girl-child.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bawku on preparations being made towards the ongoing BECE examination, Madam Lydia Issaka, the Bawku Municipal Girl-Child Education Officer, said efforts made by the Education Directorate over the years to ensure that girls were given the opportunity to go school had paid off.

She said for the first time more girls are writing the examination.

She said the Guidance and Counselling Co-ordinators and the Girl-Child Unit had worked effectively to educate parents and girls to see education as the bedrock for the development of their communities.

Madam Issaka called on parents to continue enrolling their daughters in school since they are national assets.

She warned parents and guardians to stop forcing school girls into early marriage, saying the laws of Ghana do not tolerate such acts.

Mr Joseph Azuntaba, the Municipal Director of Education, urged the candidates to study hard and avoid cheating during the examination.

He entreated all supervisors and invigilators to avoid conniving with students to cheat since they would be dealt with according to the laws of the land if caught.

Mr Saeed Adams, examination officer for the area, said as a result of the leakages, the examination unit had decided to close down the Garu-Tempane, Pusiga, Binduri and the Zebilla depots and allow only the Bawku Central Depot to operate.

This, he said, would be a measure to control the movement of examination materials.

He called on stakeholders to contribute their quota to ensure that the examinations are free of malpractice to maintain the credibility of the certificates the country awarded.