The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, has toured some examination centres and expressed appreciation for the good conduct and comportment of students writing the on-going Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). He appealed to them to maintain the behaviour and complete the examination successfully. Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive and Mrs Belinda Serwaa Addo, Ashanti Regional Director of Education, accompanied Mr Owusu-Ansah on the tour. Some of the centres visited include Opoku Ware Secondary School and Kumasi Secondary/Technical School where over 500 candidates were writing their examination. Mr Owusu-Ansah wished the students success to gain admission into senior secondary schools. Mrs Addo said 66,767 students registered for the examination in the region out of which 22,020 were from the Kumasi metropolis. She warned the students against examination malpractice because offenders would be prosecuted. EASTERN REGION MCE unhappy with pupils absent from BECE The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng, has expressed concern about the number of absentees recorded at the start of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the municipality. He has therefore directed the officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the municipality to contact the various heads of schools whose candidates were absent to establish the reasons and take appropriate measures to curb such occurrence in future. The MCE made the observation after touring the examination centres in the Municipality on Monday. In all, about 21 pupils were reported absent at the eight centres visited. At the Jumapo L/A Centre for instance, two of the candidates were deceased while one candidate at the SDA Training College Centre at Asokore, was said to been pregnant. Accompanied by the Municipal Director of Education, Ms Felicia Duku and the Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Gyaba Mensah, Nana Adjei Boateng however, expressed satisfaction at the conduct of the examinations. In all 2,981 candidates, made up of 1,497 boys and 1,484 girls and 8 deaf and dumb students were taking part in the examination in the municipality. The candidates were from 53 public schools and 15 private schools. KWAHU WEST 20 candidates absent from BECE Twenty out of 2,006 candidates that registered for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Kwahu West District were absent at the various centres on Monday. They were made up of six boys and 14 girls. Mr Seth Koranteng, Kwahu West District Director of Education, said no reasons were assigned for their failure to turn up for the examination. He said examination questions and other materials had been received for the successful conduct of the examination in the district. Mr Koranteng advised the candidates not to involve in examination malpractices but use their knowledge and what they learnt at school to answer the questions and come out with success. He urged the supervisors and invigilators to be vigilant to avoid malpractices in the examination. Source: GNA