Swarm of Bees Forces BECE Interruption at Wa Deaf School, One Candidate Misses Paper
Wild bee swarm disrupts exams at Wa School for the Deaf, injuring two candidates
- Wild bees attacked BECE candidates at Wa School for the Deaf
- One female candidate missed an exam paper due to hospitalization from the bee stings
- WAEC is investigating exam malpractice cases in the region alongside managing the incident
A sudden attack by a swarm of wild bees at the Wa School for the Deaf exam centre on Thursday caused panic and disruption during the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Two candidates were stung and injured, forcing emergency medical treatment and delaying their participation.
The incident happened just after the English paper when workers from the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) pruned a nearby tree, accidentally disturbing a beehive.
Both a male and female candidate were stung; the male was treated and managed to return for the second paper, Career Technology. Unfortunately, the female candidate remained hospitalized and missed the exam.
Mr. Donald Tuor, Upper West Regional Controller of WAEC, confirmed the event and said WAEC is considering clemency for the affected female candidate since the subject is compulsory but not core, allowing her to still be graded.
Additionally, WAEC is investigating multiple exam malpractice cases in the region, leading to the dismissal of one invigilator and a manhunt for another. All offenders will face strict penalties, with teachers involved reported to the Ghana Education Service for disciplinary action.
This year, 14,733 candidates from 620 schools, including 169 private candidates, are sitting for the BECE in the Upper West Region across 51 centres supported by nine exam depots.
