2025 BECE: 21 pregnant candidates, 17 nursing mothers write in Upper East Region

The Upper East Region is seeing a worrying trend as 21 pregnant girls and 17 lactating mothers are among the 19,523 students sitting for the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Nathaniel N-yaaba, the Regional Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Education Service (GES), told Adom News that these figures represent only the cases that are publicly known—suggesting the real numbers could be even higher.

According to him, this year’s candidates include 8,842 boys and 10,681 girls, writing the exams at 90 designated centres across the region.

Mr. N-yaaba said the GES is fully prepared to ensure the exams run smoothly and without any issues.

He stressed that all students, including pregnant girls and nursing mothers, will be given the necessary support to write their exams in a respectful and supportive environment.

In addition, the GES has cautioned candidates against engaging in any form of examination malpractice. Parents have also been urged to support their children from home rather than gathering around exam centres, which can create unnecessary tension.

The presence of pregnant and nursing candidates has sparked concern among education advocates, who point to it as a reflection of deeper issues around adolescent welfare and girl-child education in the region.

While the high number of female candidates has been praised, many stakeholders are calling for more targeted efforts to address the root causes of early pregnancy and teenage motherhood.