The Upper East Region is facing a worrying trend as 21 pregnant girls and 17 lactating mothers are among the 19,523 candidates sitting for the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Nathaniel N-yaaba, Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the region, noted that these numbers represent only the visible cases, suggesting the actual figures may be higher.
Speaking to Adom News, Mr. N-yaaba said the candidates include 8,842 boys and 10,681 girls. He also confirmed that the exams are being held at 90 designated centres across the region.
He assured the public that the GES is well-prepared to conduct a smooth, incident-free exam, and emphasized that all candidates—including pregnant girls and nursing mothers—will be treated with dignity and given the necessary support.
The GES has also warned against exam malpractice and urged parents to support their children without crowding examination centres.
The participation of pregnant and nursing candidates has sparked concern over adolescent health and girl-child education. While the high number of female candidates has been commended, stakeholders are calling for stronger measures to address early pregnancy and teenage motherhood in the region.
