Four pregnant girls are taking part in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Tarkwa-Nsueam Municipality of the Western Region as against thirteen in 2018.
Seventeen candidates, made up of ten girls and seven boys did not show up for the examination.
On the issue of absenteeism, 16 out of the total figure recorded were dropouts while one had passed on.
Mr Alex Kwaku Duah, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Director of Education disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after he had toured the seven BECE centres in the municipality.
The centres are Tarkwa Senior High School, Fiaseman Senior High School, Tarkwa Roman Catholic School, Dadwen School Complex, New Atuabo Community school, Dompim Methodist school and Nsuaem Ghana Rubber Easter Basic school.
In all, 3,295 candidates, comprising 1,726 girls and 1,569 boys are participating in the examination.
He said the examination was currently ongoing smoothly, and expressed satisfaction with the general conduct of the candidates, supervisors and invigilators.
On the pregnancies, Mr Duah noted that the girl child coordinator would take it up to ensure that the girls return to school after giving birth.
He said the municipal education directorate together with other stakeholders would do everything possible to curb the menace.
