BEST WISHES, BECE CANDIDATES (APRIL 20, 2099)

THis year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) begins today. A total of 395,582 candidates from junior high schools (JHSs) across the country are expected to participate in the exams.
Although there is a school of thought that an examination is not the best yardstick to assess the intelligence and capacity of students, it remains the acceptable standard of assessment world-wide.
At a time when our sons and daughters are taking this crucial step in their academic progression and human capacity development, the Daily Graphic can only wish them success in the BECE.
We know that they have prepared adequately for the BECE. They should, therefore, resist any temptation to cheat and also avoid carrying foreign materials on them.
The Daily Graphic is conscious of the fact that anxiety and fear can create problems for candidates during any examination but we are convinced that the only way to success is through hard work.
We are confident that the students will come out with flying colours, partly because they have spent time to study their books under the guidance of their teachers.
We also believe that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has put in place all the structures to protect the integrity of this year’s BECE. The situation where some candidates cannot find their names at examination centres should not pose a challenge during the period to compound the anxiety among the candidates.
The WAEC should make sure that unauthorised staff do not gain access to question papers for their selfish gain to compromise the integrity of the exams.
Since reforms in the mid 1980s which also led to increased access to education, one of the challenges that we have not been able to address is the expansion of facilities in second-cycle schools to absorb most of the students who complete JHS.
The Daily Graphic acknowledges that education holds the key to accelerated and sustainable development. Although the ends are competing for the scarce national resources, it behoves the authorities to find more innovative ways of mobilising resources to invest in the people.
When the quality of human resource improves, its input also improves, leading to improved productivity and the creation of wealth. But while majority of the students come face-to-face with the defining moment in their career progression, some of their colleagues will be biting their nails because their head teachers failed to register them for the BECE.
The failure of some heads of schools to register their students has surfaced during all examinations but the authorities have not been able to deal with the challenge decisively.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, appeals to the Ministry of Education not to allow such characters to get away with such unpardonable actions this time around.
The future of our youth requires proper guidance so that they will grow up to become responsible citizens. Let all the stakeholders in education collaborate to ensure the success of the BECE.
To the candidates, we wish them success in the BECE.