Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has criticised the current format of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), saying it is too stressful and unfair for students.
In a Facebook post shared on Thursday, May 7, 2026, the group’s Executive Secretary, Kofi Asare, said students are being forced to write too many subjects within just five days.
He believes this puts unnecessary pressure on candidates.
According to him, the BECE system is outdated and does not match modern education assessment methods used in many other countries.
He explained that some countries combine aptitude tests and continuous assessment instead of relying heavily on one final examination.
Kofi Asare suggested that the number of BECE subjects should be reduced to only four main subjects: Mathematics, English, Science, and General Paper.
His comments come at a time when reports say more than 10 students and examination invigilators have been arrested for exam malpractice during the ongoing BECE.
The nationwide examination, organised by the West African Examinations Council, started earlier this week and will end on May 11.
About 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools across the country are taking part in this year’s exams.
