2026 BECE Takes Off: Over 620,000 Candidates Sit Exams Nationwide

The 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School Candidates officially commenced on Monday, May 4, 2026, with 619,985 final-year junior high school students from Ghana joining 156 candidates from Togo and Benin to sit the week-long exams. This brings the total number of candidates to 620,141, according to figures released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Schools Involved: 20,390 public and private schools across Ghana.

Exam Centres: 2,302 nationwide, plus one centre hosting the five participating schools from Togo and Benin.

Supervision: 2,303 supervisors, 2,070 assistant supervisors, and 21,791 invigilators deployed.

This year’s Ghanaian candidature marks an increase of 16,657 students compared to 2025.

Regional Breakdown

Ashanti Region: 124,095 candidates, the highest nationwide.

Greater Accra Region: 114,243 candidates.

Central Region: 69,496 candidates.

Other regions, including Eastern, Western, Northern, Volta, Bono, and Upper East, each present tens of thousands of students, reflecting the nationwide scale of the exercise.

Out of Ghana’s candidates:

Males: 304,273

Females: 315,712

This continues the trend of female candidates slightly outnumbering their male counterparts.

WAEC has assured the public of its preparedness, with stationery distributed and briefing sessions held for supervisors. The Council’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, cautioned against examination malpractices, warning that offenders would face serious repercussions.

The BECE remains a pivotal milestone in Ghana’s education system, determining placement into senior high schools. The inclusion of candidates from Togo and Benin underscores the regional influence of Ghana’s curriculum and WAEC’s role in standardizing education across West Africa.