The Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency in the Western Region, Mr. George Mireku Duker has urged all Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates writing this year's final exams in his jurisdiction to pass well and enjoy the free SHS flagship program being implemented by President Akufo-Addo.

A total of 509,824 final-year Junior High School (JHS) students are writing this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) which started on Monday, June 4 and is expected to end on Friday, June 8, 2018.

The figure represents an increase of 41,771 over last year’s figure of 468,053 candidates.

The 2018 candidates are from 16,060 public and private basic schools and are made up of 263,295 males and 246,529 females.

They are writing the examination at 1,772 centres across the country with English Language and Religious and Moral Education (RME) being the first papers they start with.

Mr. Duker disclosed this at a ceremony where he donated 1,500 pieces of mathematical sets and pens to support candidates writing for this year's BECE in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.

As part of his annual educational support given to BECE candidates, the NPP MP last year donated 800 pieces of mathematical sets and 300 drawing boards to them.

Speaking at the ceremony held at Tarkwa on Monday, June 4th, Mr Duker reiterated his quest to support and improve education in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.

He revealed, he has secured hundreds of scholarships to students within the Municipality from secondary to tertiary educational level in Ghana since inception of office and also supported parents with school fees.

He said, the support shows his commitment towards ensuring that students at every stage of the educational ladder to realize their potentials.

He, therefore, admonished the candidates to desist from indulging in examination malpractices and observe examination rules.

He also inspired them to learn harder since that is the only way to achieve success.

"Examination malpractices are not good and a candidate that will be caught in the act of any examination malpractices would be dealt with accordingly", he cautioned.

He used the occasion to advise teachers and invigilators to give the candidates the necessary encouragement to enable them excel.

He commended President Akufo-Addo for absorbing the candidates registration fees and encouraged and also assured the candidates that the Free SHS flagship program awaits them and therefore have no reason to fear life after Junior High School (JHS).

Moreover, some of the candidates also expressed their appreciation towards the Member of Parliament of the area and promised to learn hard in order to achieve their aim.