The 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Upper East Region has recorded the participation of 21 pregnant candidates and 17 nursing mothers, raising fresh concerns about teenage pregnancy and girl-child education in Ghana.
Out of the 19,523 candidates writing the exams across 90 centers in the region, 10,681 are females, and 8,842 are males, according to the Ghana Education Service (GES).
Nathaniel N-yaaba, Public Relations Officer for the Upper East Regional GES, stated that these numbers represent only visible cases, suggesting the actual figures could be higher.
Despite the situation, the GES has assured that all candidates, including pregnant and lactating students, will be supported to take the exams in safe and dignified conditions.
“The GES is fully prepared to conduct a smooth, incident-free examination. We are also cautioning against exam malpractice and urging parents to cooperate by avoiding overcrowding at exam centres,” Mr. N-yaaba said.
While stakeholders commend the strong female participation, many are calling for urgent measures to address adolescent reproductive health, stressing the need for stronger community education and support systems to reduce early pregnancy rates.
