TEMA, Ghana, 9th May: Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Abraham Koomson, has expressed concern over the structure of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), describing it as excessively burdensome and stressful for students.
According to him, the current examination format is unfair to candidates due to the large number of subjects they are required to write within a limited period.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme on Saturday, May 9, Mr. Koomson argued that the pressure placed on BECE candidates is too intense and needs urgent review.
He revealed that he has followed discussions by university lecturers and education experts, many of whom have also raised concerns about the structure of the examination.
According to him, some lecturers believe the workload imposed on BECE candidates is excessive, especially when compared to university students, who are more mature yet do not sit for examinations under such demanding conditions.
Mr. Koomson called on examination authorities and education stakeholders to reconsider the current structure and introduce reforms that would reduce the pressure on students.
He stressed that many lecturers are worried about the overloading of subjects for BECE candidates and questioned why students continue to be overstretched academically without practical solutions being implemented.
The labour leader further proposed a reduction in the number of examinable subjects to allow candidates adequate time to prepare effectively and perform better without unnecessary stress.
His comments come amid the ongoing 2026 BECE, during which more than 10 students and invigilators have reportedly been arrested over examination malpractice.
The nationwide examination, organised by the West African Examinations Council, is expected to end on May 11, with about 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools participating across the country.
LISTEN TO ABRAHAM KOOMSON IN THE AUDIO BELOW:
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/Ahotoronline.com | Ghana 🇬🇭
