What are the correct and incorrect uses of Pens and pencils during BECE and WASSCE exams?

What are the correct and incorrect uses of Pens and pencils during BECE and WASSCE exams? Two important writing tools needed and used by students during BECE and WASSCE assessments are the pen and the pencil. Knowing when to use these is important if you are to do a good job on your examination. Candidates must always enter the exam hall with at least two pens and three pencils for every subject. One of the pencils must be 2B pencil which will be used for shading objective test answers only. Also use only BLUE INK pens in the examination hall. The choice of pen must be the one that makes your handwriting look presentable and answers neat. Do not use any felt pen-link link for your examination. 

You must also ensure, the pencils are sharpened and neatly done before entering the exam hall. The sharpened pencils will help you do a good job without the need to sharpen them again while in the exam hall. The two pens must be the same brand. As a candidate do well to use each of the pens to write about 10 words before you go into the exam hall with them. This will ensure you know the pen is working well.

This post is a response to questions posted as a comment by Jaspers Mensah on our post titled: “How to Tackle Difficult Mathematics Questions and Solve Them Easily (For BECE and WASSCE)”

Below is his question, which will be followed by a detailed response:

“I just want to ask. WAEC has instructed students to use ink to write their name on the question paper and answer booklet. What about the OBJECTIVE PAPER? I want to know if we’re using ink to write something or pencil.”

What are the correct and incorrect uses of Pens and pencils during BECE and WASSCE exams?

Uses of pens and pencils while writing the BECE or WASSCE

• Use the pencil to plan your answers while brainstorming.
• Use the pencil to do rough work and mathematical calculations for objective test questions.
• Use the pencil to think through objective test answers on the question paper.
• Use the pencil to shade objective test answers.
• Use the pencil to draw or sketch tables, graphs, and other forms of answers that need to be drawn.
• For shading on WAEC exams, you should use a 2B pencil. The scoring machine can only read pencil marks, so using a 2B pencil ensures your answers are accurately scanned and graded. 
• Use the pencil to draw lines that will be part of the answer, such as a line needed to label a part of a drawing.
• Use a pen to write essays and all answers in your Section B, except for drawings.
• Use a pen to write the names or parts of drawings in Section B.
• Use a pen to write your name and index number on your question paper.
• Use a pen to write your name, index number, and the name of the subject on your Section B answer booklet.
• Do not use a pencil or pen to write your name or deepen your name already written on your objective test answer sheet. WAEC will always print your name, index number, and the subject on the answer sheet for Section A using a printer. Do not attempt to deepen it with a pen or pencil. If there is a mistake in the spelling of your name, do not try to correct it with a pen or pencil.
• Do not use a pencil to write your essays or answers in Section B unless you intend to use a pen to go over them afterward.

If you have doubts about what you can or cannot use a pen or pencil for in the examination, this is the time to find out from your teachers. However, the above details are clear enough to ensure that you do not make the wrong choices as to which of the two to use when answering questions.

We hope this post on “What are the correct and incorrect uses of Pens and pencils during BECE and WASSCE exams?” has been very useful.