Haruna Iddrisu Visits Babatokuma M/A Primary School To Oversee BECE Preparations

• Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu visited Babatokuma M/A Primary School to assess BECE exam preparations
• The Minister reassured students, teachers, and parents that all logistical and security measures were in place for a smooth exam process
• A total of 603,328 candidates are set to sit for the 2025 BECE, with support from the Ghana Education Service and law enforcement agencies

Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister for Education, has paid a working visit to Babatokuma M/A Primary School, one of the schools in the Bono East Region, located in the Kintampo North Municipality.

The minister's visit on June 10 was to investigate the readiness of the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates ahead of the exams, which begin today, June 11, and end on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Haruna Iddrisu engaged with the students and shared some light-hearted moments with them.

During his visit, the education minister toured the school premises and the BECE examination centre. He met with the school authorities, invigilators, and some final-year students, sharing some words of encouragement and advice.

He said:

“The government is committed to ensuring that every candidate sits for the BECE in a safe, well-prepared, and conducive environment.”

Iddrisu also stated that the primary reason for his visit was to reassure the public and students alike that the necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure the candidates had a conducive environment to write the exams and maximise their chances of performing well.

He added:

“This visit is to reassure students, teachers, and parents that the necessary logistical and administrative arrangements are in place.”

Babatokuma school is one of the centres in the Bono East Region where students will sit for their BECE exams this year.

The minister’s visit underscores the government's commitment to enhancing education, promoting fairness, and ensuring that all students, particularly those in rural areas, have access to quality education.

“We are working closely with the Ghana Education Service, WAEC, and local authorities to ensure a smooth and incident-free examination across the country,” the Minister added.

He encouraged the students to remain calm, focused, and confident as they prepared to take a major step in their academic journey.

According to the Ghana Education Service (GES), a total of 603,328 candidates will sit for this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), comprising 297,250 males and 306,078 females. This figure includes both public and private school candidates.

The GES and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) will oversee the exams, with law enforcement agencies providing added security to maintain order and fairness throughout the examination process.

The video of the Minister's visit to Babatokuma M/A Primary School is below.

Reactions as Haruna Iddrisu visits Babatokuma M/A

YEN.com.gh has collated some reactions to the video shared by @sikaofficial1 on X.

Many netizens pointed out the poor physical condition of the school, describing it as an "eyesore" and highlighting the lack of basic amenities. Some of the reactions are below.

@kay_eil commented:

"This was needless. Your responsibility is to make sure there are no schools under trees, schools have desks , teachers are well paid & provided with the necessary items for learning. Ebaa kafuo aman buo. NDC & NPP never stop playing with the Ghanaian minds."

@sarkodium wrote:

"This guy is sitting and casually enjoying a moment with the next president of Ghana."

@nyaduwaa commented:

"Ghana is a very overrated country, bro. Look at what we are calling a classroom and he’s not shy standing there Herh 😭."

@GilbertKwa57060 wrote:

"Will you allow your child to sit here ooo? God, what have poor kids done to deserve this?"

WAEC flags BECE 2025 exam cheating hotspots

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) identified key areas designated examination malpractice hotspots ahead of the 2025 BECE.

WAEC highlighted the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, and Ashanti regions as critical areas, with Bono and Ahafo showing the highest number of malpractice cases in 2023.

At a stakeholders' forum, WAEC stressed the urgent need for stronger oversight and collaboration to address the issue, warning that unchecked malpractice could harm the credibility of Ghana's education system.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh