BECE candidates stranded as protestors block major road in Shama

Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates have reportedly been left stranded following the blockade of a major road by protesting residents of Nyanikrom in the Shama District of the Western Region.

According to a report by adomonline.com on May 4, 2026, the residents blocked the road in protest over its poor condition, hindering access to routes to examination centres on the very first day of the exams.

In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme, a headmistress expressed dismay at the situation.

She explained, however, that efforts were underway to engage the protesters and secure safe passage for the candidates.

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“We didn’t expect this. We were just looking forward to writing the exams, only to be confronted with this situation,” she said.

“We are pleading with them to create an opening so the children can pass and join the bus to the centre. This is not a pleasant situation, especially as it is their first paper. We hope the children will not be late to the centre because of this,” she decried.

The headmistress also emphasised the distress faced by the candidates, explaining that even a short distance to the centre had become difficult due to the blockade.

“The distance is not far, but they cannot walk,” she said, adding that one student fell into a gutter during the confusion and soiled herself.

Meanwhile, the Assemblyman for the area, Issah Abubakar, confirmed the incident, stating that he had pleaded with the residents to reopen the road for the students.

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“The road is in a very bad state. I even went on my knees to beg them to allow the students to pass, but they refused,” he said.

He further indicated that although police officers were present, they were struggling to control the situation.

“Even when the police remove the burning tyres, the protesters bring more and set them ablaze,” he explained.

A total of 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools are expected to sit for the 2026 BECE across all 16 regions of Ghana. The figure comprises 304,349 boys and 315,792 girls.

VKB/VPO