Parents and schools react as minister insists No JHS 3, No BECE for BECE registration nationwide

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has announced a strict measure barring students below Junior High School Form Three from taking part in Ghana’s Basic Education Certificate Examination.

The decision follows concerns over reports that some schools have been enrolling younger students for the BECE before they have completed the required three years of junior high school.

According to education officials, premature registration creates an unfair situation and interferes with the normal progression of learners. It can also place unnecessary academic and psychological pressure on students who have not yet reached the final stage of their junior high education.

Haruna Iddrisu made the government’s position clear with the statement, “No JHS 3, No BECE.” Under the directive, eligibility for the national examination will be limited to students who have reached and completed the JHS 3 level.

The BECE plays a significant role in Ghana’s education system, particularly because it serves as the examination through which students move from junior high school into senior high school. Authorities therefore believe strict adherence to the eligibility requirements is necessary to protect the credibility of the process.

Stakeholders have also pointed out that JHS 3 is not simply another academic year but an important preparation period. Students use the final year to consolidate what they have learned, revise key topics and build the confidence and skills needed to perform well in the BECE.

Allowing pupils to skip that stage, education officials warn, could leave them inadequately prepared and potentially affect their academic outcomes.

The new directive is also expected to address unhealthy competition among schools. Some institutions have allegedly relied on early registration to improve their examination records, a practice the ministry wants to discourage.

Parents and guardians have therefore been encouraged to cooperate with the policy by allowing their children to advance through the education system naturally.

Across the education sector, the directive has received broad support, with stakeholders describing it as a move that could promote consistency, fairness and stronger academic standards in the administration of the BECE.

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