Some of the
examination centres were St. Augustine’s College, Adisadel College, Mfantsipim
School and Holy Child School.
The English Language
paper, which was the first of the week-long examinations, was supposed to start
at 0900hrs prompt, but due to the delay, it started as late as 40 minutes after
0900hrs at some of the afore-mentioned centres.
According to sources
at the examination centres and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Directorate of
Education, the delay was as a result of inadequate vehicles to convey the
examination papers to the seven centres in the Metropolis.
At a point, the
Mfantsipim School had to release its pick-pp vehicle to support the
distribution of the examination papers.
A source at the
Metro Education Directorate revealed that many of the vehicles were broken
down.
When the GNA arrived
at the St. Augustine’s College Centre at 0930hrs, candidates were already
seated waiting for the arrival of the papers.
The Centre Supervisor,
Mr. Henry Arthur-Gyan, told the GNA that a total of 357 candidates, made up of
195 males and 162 females with no recorded absentees, were ready to write the
papers at that centre.
At Adisadel College,
which had a total of 587 candidates, made up of 325 males and 262 females, Mr.
John Kofi Sam, Centre Supervisor, said the English Language paper was delayed
for about 20 minutes.
The situation was
not different at the Mfantsipim School centre as the paper, started 41 minutes
late, according to Mr. Hiob Howusu, the Assistant Centre Supervisor.
He indicated that
out of a total of 615 candidates, made up of 263 males and 352 females,
expected to write at the centre, one male and one female from the Jacob Wilson
Sey Basic School, were absent. They reportedly stopped schooling shortly before
the BECE.
The examination was
delayed for 40 minutes at the Holy Child School, where 442 candidates, were
expected to sit for the paper.
Also writing the
paper at the centre were 30 hearing-impaired candidates, made 15 males and 15
females from the Cape Coast School for the Deaf.
Mr. Alex Mensah,
Centre Supervisor told the GNA that eight candidates were absent, with one
reportedly pregnant, while the others dropped out of school before the
examinations.
At the time of
filing this report, efforts to reach the Metropolitan Director of Education,
Ms. Florence Nkum, to explain the delay was not successful.
In all 3,211
candidates, comprising 1,603 males and 1,608 females from 94 schools in the
Metropolis, are writing the papers at seven examination centres.
At the regional
level, a total of 45,587 candidates, made up 23,911 males and 21,676 females,
from 1,622 schools, are writing the papers at 134 examination centres.
GNA