A total of 603,328 candidates are expected to take part in the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), scheduled to run from Tuesday, June 11 to Tuesday, June 18, across the country.

The Ghana Education Service (GES), announcing the figure ahead of the nationwide exams, said the cohort comprises 297,250 males and 306,078 females from both public and private schools.

With all materials and timetables already dispatched to centres, the GES says it is fully prepared for a smooth and credible examination process.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, June 9, Director-General of the GES, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, cautioned candidates to refrain from cheating and warned invigilators and supervisors to uphold strict professionalism or risk dismissal.

“We need the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure that examination malpractice of all forms is reduced to the barest minimum or eliminated, because examination malpractice does not have a system to accurately measure the performance of the student.

“Once students are cheating their way through, it is difficult to ascertain how well our education system is performing. So we are appealing to all to support us in fighting examination malpractices. Invigilators who are caught aiding examination malpractice will be severely punished,” he cautioned.

The GES boss reiterated the Service’s resolve to clamp down on exam fraud and urged the public to support efforts to preserve the integrity of Ghana’s basic education system.