The Police Administration in Bawku has said it had put in place security measures to enable candidates to write the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the conflict ravaged Municipality.
The Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Kwaku Peprah told the GNA in a telephone interview on Monday that the candidates would be protected throughout the examination period.
He said the candidates were comfortable with the arrangements as most of them showed confidence as they walked "with tight protective security made up of the military and police around them."
Mr Peprah said the candidates would be escorted to and from any part of Bawku to write the examination throughout the week.
In the Bolgatanga Municipality the examination started in earnest and materials for the examination were made available on schedule for 2,102 candidates.
Out of 2,102 candidates 1,056 are girls while 1,046 are boys. Three girls were absent at the Bolgatanga Senior High centre, two at the Zuarungu Senior High and four at the Bolgatanga Technical Institute.
The Branch Controller of the West Africa Examination Council, Mr. Alex Bosompem Boampem, told the Ghana News Agency that apart from Bawku, the 50 centres conducting the examination in the region had started smoothly.
He confirmed the security arrangements at Bawku and said a team comprising the Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Director of Education and the security agencies had developed strategic measures to help provide adequate security for the candidates during the examination period.
Mr. Boampem appealed to the people of Bawku to exercise restraint and allow their children to participate in the examination, adding that
education was the only key that could bring peace to the area.
He appealed to the invigilators and supervisors to be vigilant and ensure that the candidates do not engage in any examination malpractice adding that "by doing this we can prepare this young ones for the future."
At Bolgatanga Senior High School the District Examination Officer for Talensi-Nabdam, Mr. Benjamin MacBoka, said the time schedules for picking up examination papers could delay the scheduled time for the start of the examination.
He suggested that instead of picking question papers one after the other from the depot, those which would be written for the day should be sent to centres to avoid delay.
The Assistant Headmistress of the Bolgatanga Girl's Senior High School who is also in charge of that centre, Mrs. Mamuna Abubakari, described this year's examination as the best in terms of comportment on the part of the candidates and expressed the hope that candidates and invigilators would observe the rules and regulations governing the examination.
The supervisor in charge of the Bolgatanga Senior High School centre, Mr. Vitus Ankyier, appealed to WAEC to increase the examination allowance for invigilators and supervisors.
He said if this is considered the malpractices in examination could reduce.