A Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidate in Ghana reportedly abandoned the crucial exam to engage in illegal small-scale mining, locally known as galamsey.
The BECE candidate at the Duapompo M/A Junior High School in the Juaben municipality of the Ashanti Region, chose galamsey over his final examination.
This was made known by a teacher who told TV3 when the Municipal Chief Executive for Juaben, Eunice Ohenewaa Ansu, visited the school to assess the readiness of candidates and also motivates them.
The action of the male student-candidate is reported to have been influenced by money.
The teacher said “He (BECE candidate) told us he was going to look for money, and that will give him a better future than writing an exam.”
For a BECE candidate, the decision to abandon an exam for galamsey is often driven by immediate survival needs. Many come from impoverished households where parents or guardians rely on their contributions to make ends meet.
The promise of earning money quickly—sometimes as much as GH¢100-GH¢200 ($10-20) per day—outweighs the long-term benefits of education, which may seem abstract or unattainable in the face of hunger and hardship.
About 603,328 candidates are poised to sit for the 2025 BECE for Schools and Private Candidates, which is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, and conclude on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
This year’s number of candidates represents a 6% increase from the 2024 total of 569,236.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) announced the figures today, revealing that approximately 297,250 males and 306,078 females from 20,395 participating schools have registered for the school examination.
In addition, 1,661 private candidates have registered to sit the exam—comprised of 858 males and 803 females.
This marks a 19.5% increase from the 1,390 private candidates who took the exam in 2024.
The BECE for School Candidates will be conducted at 2,237 examination centres nationwide.
Meanwhile, the private candidates will write their exams at fifteen designated centres, primarily located in regional capitals.
