2024 BECE is to be written for six days

WISDOM K.E HAMMOND 7 months ago

The curriculum change and the introduction of new subjects necessitate a six-day examination period for the 2024 BECE, replacing the traditional five-day period. WAEC will begin administering the examination on Monday, May 8th, with the exception of students writing Arabic, a newly introduced subject, on Monday, July 15th, 2024.

Per the timetable released by the West African Examination Council (WAEC), two subjects will be administered each day from Monday to Friday; however, on the last day of the examination, only one subject (Arabic) will be administered.

In all WAEC will administer 11 subjects during the 2024 BECE to be written for six days.

The other new subjects introduced this year are career technology, creative arts, and design. The decision to make Arabic the last subject for the examination may be associated with the number of students who write it.

While the number of candidates who write it is less, writing the said paper as the last subject will mean examination centres where the subject is not written by any candidates will end their examination on Friday, July 12th. This, in itself, will help reduce the cost associated with employing invigilators on the last day of the examination.

The changes brought about by the introduction of the new curriculum underscore the gradual transformation of the education landscape and structure at elementary and senior high schools.

It is important to note that this year, the BECE will also have a new structure of examinations and questions. The 2019 Common Core Curriculum will serve as the basis for testing candidates with practical, case study, and critical thinking questions.

The new secondary school curriculum, which will reduce the current 63 subjects taught at the secondary school level to 37 subjects in the 2024 BECE, will introduce SHS students to the basic curriculum in year one before introducing them to specific programmes in year two.

Schools, teachers, parents, and candidates are to take note of the new examination question structure and prepare their candidates based on it for the upcoming BECE in July.

READ: WAEC Releases Final 2024 WASSCE and BECE Timetable