The Ghana Education Service has issued a strong warning to candidates sitting for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), cautioning that there will be no room for examination malpractice, popularly known as “apor,” during this year’s papers.
Addressing the media on Thursday, April 30, Director-General of the GES, Ernest Kofi Davis, urged candidates to rely on their preparation, stressing that the Service has put in place stringent measures to clamp down on cheating across all examination centres.
He assured students that the examination questions would be drawn strictly from the approved syllabus, urging them to remain calm and confident. He further warned that candidates should not expect any external assistance, as authorities will enforce strict supervision to uphold the integrity of the exams.
The 2026 BECE is expected to record a total of 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools nationwide, comprising 304,349 boys and 315,792 girls. The figure represents an increase of 16,813 candidates, or 2.7%, compared to the 603,328 candidates who sat for the examination in 2025.
Meanwhile, the GES has announced a ban on all supervisors and invigilators implicated in malpractice during the 2025 BECE, particularly those still under investigation. The Service says such individuals will not be allowed to participate in any capacity in this year’s examination process.
The move, according to the GES, forms part of broader efforts to restore confidence in the examination system and ensure fairness for all candidates.