Tema, April 24, GNA - Miss Regina Korkor, a final student of Kpone Methodist Junior Secondary School (JSS) could not write the first paper of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at the Oninku Examination Centre at Tema because she did not have 2,500 cedis to pay for the fare from Kpone to Tema.

About 219 candidates are writing the paper at the centre. When her plight was brought to the notice of the school authorities, Madam Selina Mensah, the headteacher quickly rushed to Kpone and brought her to write the second paper.

Mr Kombla Nkulenu, Chief Supervising Officer told the Ghana News Agency on the progress of the examinations.

Madam Mensah said Regina was an orphan and her grand mother was poor to take up that responsibility "so the onus rest on me and I am prepared to foot her transport fare of 5,000 a day plus feeding to enable her to write the subsequent papers."

She however, appealed to West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Ministry of Education and Sports to endeavour to make Regina write the first paper that was English.

Mr Nkulenu said another candidate Master John Tetteh of Kpone Presbyterian JSS also failed to turn up because according to his classmates he had gone on a fishing expedition. A third candidate, Miss Patience Narh also of Kpone Methodist JSS who had been hospitalised was made to write the paper at the Tema Port Clinic.

At Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School centre, out of the 244 candidates expected, three boys absented themselves without any reason, while at the Twedaase centre, Mr Joseph Quarshei, the Supervisor said a girl who had delivered was among five absentees.

He said one of them was reported to have travelled to Italy while another boy whose twin sister was writing the examination at the centre had travelled to their hometown.

Mr Quarshei noted that after the intensive education given to the candidates on some basic rules and regulations, some of them forgot to write their names and index numbers on the answer sheet. He therefore, advised the candidates to write their names and index numbers on the answer sheets before answering the questions. There were three examination centres at the Tema Secondary School (TEMASCO).

Centre 'A' was made up of three schools made up of 334 candidates two of them were absent. Mr Robert Bonney the Supervisor said a boy vomited during the English paper but had recovered when GNA visited the centre.

Out of the 349 candidates registered to take the examination at TEMASCO centre 'B', two were absent while three candidates were absent at centre 'C' out of the 301 candidates.

Mrs Lucy Kwapong, Tema Municipal Director of Education visited four out of the 10 centres at Ashaiman assured students and parents that, introduction of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) would not affect the smooth conduct of the BECE. She explained that, during the conduct of the BECE, candidates for WASSCE would undertake their practical examinations that would involve only few students who would not use the centres used by BECE candidates. Mrs Kwapong said municipal directorate had enough invigilators for the 11,500 candidates at the 35 centres.