Ahead of the official announcement and commencement of registration for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) by WAEC, schools across Ghana have begun taking bold and proactive steps to promote efficiency and high standards in the registration of candidates.
Before WAEC opens the portal for the first phase of the three- to four-stage registration process, schools are calling on parents to start submitting the relevant details needed for their wards’ registration.
Parents, therefore, need to clearly understand the requirements requested by schools and the reasons behind them, in order to ensure smooth registration at every phase of the 2026 BECE registration process.
Requirements Sent by Schools for the 2026 BECE Registration
Schools have asked parents to provide the following:
1. Full Name of the Student
Parents must submit the full legal name of the student on the forms provided by the school. This should include the first name, middle name(s), and surname. It is important to note that names exceeding 40 characters may be rejected because the WAEC registration portal does not accept names beyond this limit.
The names submitted should correspond exactly with those on the student’s birth certificate. Parents are strongly advised not to add any additional or unofficial names for convenience or “fancy” reasons. Including names that are not on the birth certificate can create future challenges for the student and may require a formal name correction process, which involves fees and stress. It is therefore essential to get it right from the beginning.
Parents must also ensure that all names are spelled correctly and arranged in the right order as required by the school.
2. Date of Birth of the Candidate
Parents must also provide the student’s date of birth, along with how old the candidate will be in 2026. This is a mandatory WAEC requirement for BECE registration. Parents are encouraged to verify the date of birth from official documents to ensure the correct date is provided. Errors made at this stage will require time and money to correct in future.
3. Passport-Size Photograph
In addition to the above requirements, schools are requesting that parents pay for new passport-size photographs for their wards. These photographs will be taken by the school and edited to meet WAEC’s specifications for BECE registration.
However, some schools are quoting unreasonable fees for these passport photos—despite the fact that they will only be used in digital form and not printed. With advancements in technology, even simple mobile devices can take acceptable passport-style photos for registration. Yet, some schools are charging between GHS 50 and GHS 100 for a digital image that could easily be taken with a basic mobile device. Editing these images can also be done using free photo-editing software commonly found on computers, suggesting that some schools may be exploiting parents.
As preparations continue, parents are encouraged to provide accurate information and seek clarification where needed. Schools, on the other hand, are expected to maintain transparency and avoid imposing unreasonable charges.
Early compliance from both schools and parents will ensure a seamless 2026 BECE registration process and prevent avoidable challenges during WAEC’s official registration phases.
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