In the Northern Region, a total of 29,648 candidates are taking the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) this year.

Out of the total number of candidates, 15,815 are boys while 13,833 are girls.

A total of 783 schools, that is 677 public and 106 private, have presented candidates to partake in the exam.

Tamale Metropolitan Assembly tops with 5,757 candidates while Nanton has 524 candidates.

Tamale Metro has a total of 166 candidates, of which 129 are from public schools and 37 candidates are from private schools.

Sagnarigu municipality comes second with the highest number of candidates - 2,636 boys and 2,834 girls totaling 5,470 candidates.

Nanton has the least number of schools -13 and 13 centers.

The Centres for the examination are; Tamale Senior High School, Kalphoni and Ghanasco Senior High School.

Speaking to some of the candidates at the Kalphoni center, the students pleaded that the examination should be conducted devoid of the annual leakage.

Issah Salim who is from Taha Aliya Islamic School added that he has studied hard and is certain to pass the exam.

"Our teachers taught us to study hard because this exam is our future and we should take our minds off leakage and study. So I am ready and prepared," he said.

Another student, Akolgo Rita, said she spends all her time preparing for the examination adding that she has had to stay up most nights to study.

Rita believes she will pass and pursue her desired course in fashion and design at the Bolgatanga Technical School.