This year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) started smoothly at the various centres in the Kumasi Metropolis.
Candidates were busily writing the English Paper when the Ghana News Agency visited most of the centres amidst tight security.
Centres visited include the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Senior High School (SHS), Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI), Prempeh College, Kumasi Anglican SHS, Armed Forces SHS and T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS.
At the Armed Forces SHS Centre, Mr Emmanuel Panford, the Supervisor said some 12 schools consisting of 762 candidates were to write the first paper but five were absent due to varied reasons.
He pointed out that his outfit had not received reports of any malpractices and expressed the hope that the trend would continue to the end of the examination.
At the Anglican SHS Centre, two out of 1,088 candidates were absent.
Mr Paul Ayamba, the Supervisor said writing of the first paper delayed due to the late arrival of the examination papers but noted that the candidates were not deterred as they successfully wrote the English paper.
He expressed the hope that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) would strive to bring subsequent papers on time.
Meanwhile, Mrs Agnes-Gyamfi, Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Director of Education has commended the BECE candidates in the municipality for their comportment since the commencement of the exams.
Some of the centres she visited were Kwaso Primary, Ejisu Senior Technical School A/B, Ejisu M/A Primary A/B and Ejisuman Senior High School.
Out of 2,252 candidates, who registered to write the exams in those centres, 17 of them were absent due to various reasons.
She urged the invigilators and supervisors to be vigilant and abide by the rules of the examination.