Final-year junior high school students across the country will encounter three new subjects in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School Candidates.

These subjects include Career Technology, Creative Art and Design, and Arabic. Career Technology and Creative Art and Design, formerly part of Basic Design and Technology (BDT), are mandatory for all candidates, while Arabic remains optional for candidates in Islamic schools.

To accommodate these additions, the 2024 examination will span six days instead of the usual five, starting on Monday, July 8, 2024, and concluding on Monday, July 15, 2024. John Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, emphasized that the government determines the examination’s content, with new subjects introduced as needed. Registration is complete, and WAEC is now organizing candidate breakdowns and finalizing logistical details. Sample questions have been distributed to schools and posted online, with printing set to commence shortly.

For the first time, Arabic will be examined at the BECE, categorized as an elective available to proficient individuals seeking certification. The official timetable reveals the examination schedule, including subjects to be taken each day from July 8th to July 12th, 2024.

Before registration, the Ghana Education Service outlined mandatory subjects such as English Language, Mathematics, General Science, Social Studies, Religious and Moral Education, Career Technology, and Creative Art and Design, with Ghanaian languages classified as electives. Optional subjects include French, Arabic, and Computing.