The Mahama government will review the timetable for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to give candidates more time between papers and reduce examination-related stress, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has announced.

Speaking at Aburi Girls’ Senior High School on Wednesday, the minister acknowledged concerns that the current examination schedule, which runs continuously from Monday to Friday, places significant pressure on students.

“I understand that our schedule of the exams for BECE was just Monday to Friday, and that put many of you under some stress,” he said.

Under the proposed changes, the examination period will be extended, with the BECE beginning on a Wednesday and ending the following Wednesday.

The revised timetable is expected to include longer breaks between papers and a weekend interval to allow candidates additional preparation time.

Mr. Iddrisu said the review forms part of efforts to improve the examination experience for learners across the country and ensure they are able to adequately prepare for each subject paper.

“The government is reviewing the BECE exams calendar. So now the BECE will begin on a Wednesday and end the following Wednesday, so that adequate time is given to our learners to prepare for BECE across the country,” he said.

The minister added that the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service will oversee the implementation of the revised timetable once the review process is completed.

The BECE is the national examination taken by final-year junior high school students seeking placement into senior high schools across Ghana.