Writing of theory papers in the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) took off smoothly at various centres in the country Monday.
When the Daily Graphic visited some of the examination centres, the candidates were busy writing the first paper, Integrated Science.
The COVID-19 preventive protocols were strictly enforced at all centres.
Upper East Region
Vincent Amenuveve reports from Bolgatanga that students were seated in an orderly manner at examination centres at the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School (BOGISS), Zamse Senior High/Technical School and the Bolgatanga Technical Institute.
The students wore nose masks, had hand sanitisers on their desks and Veronica buckets with liquid soap placed at all the examination halls while the physical distancing rule was also adhered to.
The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Joseph Amiyuure, the Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ms Anne Estella Kye-eebo, and the Headmistress of BOGISS, Ms Patricia Agoteba Anaba, all expressed satisfaction with the arrangements put in place.
The Upper East Regional Director of the GES, Mr Augustine Ayirezang, said he had not come across any incident of leaked exam questions.
Northern Region
From Tamale, Mohammed Fugu reports that the atmosphere at the examination centres was peaceful.
At the Tamale Girls SHS and Vitting SHS, candidates were seated in line with COVID-19 safety protocols.
At the Tamale Girls SHS, it was observed that out of the 387 registered candidates, one candidate was absent.
A girl was reported pregnant while a boy was also absent due to ill health at the Vitting SHS where 467 candidates wrote the exam.
The Northern Regional Director of the GES, Mr Edward Azure, who toured some of the schools said all the necessary measures had been put in place to protect candidates and invigilators from COVID-19.
He advised the candidates to comport themselves and not to engage in examination malpractices.
Bono Region
From Sunyani, Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Mukusah Ali report that although the examination began smoothly, it was marked with absenteeism.
At the Gilberto SHS exam centre, for instance, 15 candidates did not show up for the examination out of a total of 482 registered students.
At the Twene Amanfo Senior High/Technical School, one student out of 448 candidates could not write the paper because he reported late.
At the Sunyani SHS, the Headmaster, Mr Michael Nsiah-Agyapong, said 869 candidates were participating in the examination. They included 356 females and 513 males.
