BECE Candidate in Juaben Abandons Exams for Illegal Mining

A surprising incident has been reported at Duampompo M/A Junior High School in the Juaben Municipality of the Ashanti Region, where a male candidate scheduled to sit for the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) opted out to engage in illegal mining, locally known as 'Galamsey'.

According to a teacher at the school, the student, identified as Prince Owusu Snr., made the decision based on financial motivations. “He told us he wanted to make money and believed that would secure his future better than completing the exams,” the teacher stated under anonymity.

The revelation came during a visit by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Juaben, Eunice Ohenewaa Ansu, who was at the school to monitor exam preparedness and encourage students.

Illegal mining has been a major issue in the Juaben Municipality, particularly in the Bomfa area, which was the focus of several reports in 2024. Confirming the development, Municipal Director of Education, Phyllis Boateng, said the student had registered for the exam but had stopped attending school before the exams began.

Commenting on the matter, MCE Eunice Ansu said she had yet to receive a full briefing. “I’ll speak to the headmaster once we return to the office to get more clarity on the issue,” she said.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,465 candidates from nine private and 34 public schools—757 males and 708 females—registered to write the BECE in the Juaben Municipality. The MCE used the occasion to caution candidates against examination malpractice, warning that such actions could lead to the cancellation of their results.

Across the Ashanti Region, 120,285 students are expected to participate in the 2025 BECE, with the region accounting for 20% of the nationwide total. Among them are 59,999 males and 60,286 females sitting for the exams at 432 designated centres.