Tension and confusion gripped the Wa School for the Deaf examination centre on Thursday when a swarm of wild bees disrupted the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), leaving two students injured and halting the exams momentarily.
The incident occurred shortly after candidates had completed their English Language paper.
According to eyewitnesses, workers from the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) were pruning a tree near the school when they unknowingly disturbed a beehive, triggering the aggressive swarm. Panic ensued as candidates and staff scrambled for safety.
Two students—a male and a female—sustained injuries from the bee attack and were immediately rushed to the Wa Municipal Hospital.
While the male candidate received swift treatment and returned in time to sit for the next paper, Career Technology, the female candidate remained under observation and was unable to continue with the examination that day.
Mr. Donald Tuor, the Upper West Regional Controller of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), confirmed the incident and assured that measures are being taken to support the affected students.
He revealed that WAEC is considering seeking clemency for the female candidate who missed the paper, noting that although Career Technology is a compulsory subject, it is not classified as a core subject and therefore may still allow for grading flexibility.
“We are considering pursuing a clemency case for her because it was not her fault. Though the subject is compulsory, it is not a core subject, so she can still be graded,” Mr. Tuor stated.
The disruption came amid heightened exam monitoring efforts by WAEC, which has already begun investigating multiple cases of examination malpractice across the region.
Mr. Tuor confirmed that one invigilator in Wa Municipality has been dismissed over misconduct, while another is currently on the run.
He emphasized that all cases will be thoroughly investigated and sanctioned appropriately, including referrals of implicated teachers to the Ghana Education Service for disciplinary action.
This year, the Upper West Region recorded a total of 14,733 BECE candidates—7,928 females and 6,805 males—from 620 schools.
An additional 169 private candidates are also taking part in the exams, which are being administered across 51 examination centres and supported by nine secure depots.
The bee incident has raised fresh concerns over safety protocols at examination centres, especially for vulnerable schools like the Wa School for the Deaf.
Education stakeholders are calling for enhanced coordination between utility companies, schools, and examination authorities to avoid such disruptions in the future.
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