Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has called for reforms to the structure of the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), describing the current system as overly stressful and burdensome for students.

Speaking on Ahotor FM on Saturday, Mr. Koomson expressed concern over the large number of subjects candidates are required to write within a short period.

According to him, the pressure placed on BECE candidates is excessive and unfair, particularly for students at the basic education level.

Mr. Koomson said he had followed discussions involving university lecturers and education experts, many of whom have also questioned the structure of the examination.

He noted that some lecturers believe the academic workload imposed on BECE candidates is too demanding, especially when compared to university students who, despite being more mature, are not subjected to similar examination conditions.

The labour leader urged examination authorities and stakeholders in the education sector to review the current format and implement reforms aimed at reducing stress on candidates.

He proposed a reduction in the number of examinable subjects to allow students more time to prepare adequately and improve their performance without undue pressure.

Mr. Koomson further questioned why students continue to face what he described as academic overstretching despite growing concerns raised by education professionals.

His comments come as the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination, organised by West African Examinations Council, continues nationwide ended last Friday.

Reports indicate that more than 10 students and invigilators have so far been arrested in connection with examination malpractice during the ongoing exams.

A total of about 620,141 candidates from 20,395 schools across the country participated in this year’s BECE, which is expected to end on May 11, 2026.