Locked Gates, High Stakes: Strict Discipline Greets 2026 GCE Candidates

The written phase of the 2026 session of the General Certificate of Education, GCE and related technical examinations commenced smoothly across Cameroon this Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Regional data and first-hand accounts from accommodation centers showcase excellent candidate turnout, tightly controlled security, and an unyielding enforcement of examination board regulations.

NW Turnout Soars To 99.62%
Official figures released today by the Regional Delegation of Secondary Education for the North West Region highlight an exceptional attendance rate. Out of 2,795 registered candidates across multiple technical and grammar sessions on June 2, 2026, a staggering 2,783 were physically present, culminating in a 99.62% overall attendance rate.

100% Attendance 
Leading the statistical triumph was the Advanced Technical Vocational Examination, ATVE, which achieved a flawless 100% turnout with all 208 registered students in their seats. The Intermediate Technical Vocational Entrance Examination (ITVEE) recorded the highest overall volume of the day, with 659 candidates present.

Red Zones Increasingly Become Green 
According to the Divisional Delegate for Secondary Education for Donga-Mantung, Mr Tarlishi Oliver Yinyu, there are 3,970 total registered candidates in the division. Nkambe Central Subdivision remains the primary examination hub, hosting 2,384 candidates. Matfu Engelbert Mbang, Principal of Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Nkambe, confirmed that 340 students wrote on his campus this morning with zero lateness.
"As some red zones are becoming green, more accommodation centers are being created," Principal Mbang noted, highlighting a stabilizing security climate that has allowed some schools to safely return to local testing hubs.

Only Two Absences 
In Ngoketunjia Division, Mrs. Ndzi Sarah Munji, Principal of Baptist High School Ndop, reported a highly successful launch. Serving as a vital accommodation center, her campus is hosting seven different schools this session. Mrs. Ndzi confirmed that the morning began seamlessly, with flawless attendance for the Ordinary Level sessions and a mere two absences recorded at the Advanced Level.

The Fight Against Malpractice
At Summerset Bilingual College, Wokoko, Buea in the South West Region, the Principal, Yerima Samson Tata, reported an accommodation center teeming with roughly 1,350 candidates spanning grammar, technical, and commercial sectors. Principal Tata emphasized a highly secure environment, assisted by a stationed Commissioner of Police and continuous surveillance.
"I'm sitting in my office like this and watching the camera," Tata said, noting that his institution is in its third year of utilizing Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) to monitor both student behavior and invigilator transparency. "It monitors the students at the same time monitoring the invigilators... when we see that you are overdoing it, we will suspend you."

The Cost Of Late Arrival 
While attendance was nearly perfect nationwide, the day was not without heartbreak. At Christian Comprehensive Secondary School in Nkolmbong, Etoudi, Yaoundé, where 508 candidates from eight different feeder centers are writing, an Advanced Level Chemistry student missed his crucial Paper 1 due to strict adherence to the 30-minute late rule.
The Principal, Mr. Keyaka Edward, recounted that the student realized he had left his individual timetable at home. Instead of entering the center to be verified by a feeder school teacher, the panicked student ran back home, returning more than 30 minutes after the exam had started.
"We have to allow him to write Paper 2," Principal Keyaka explained, "but Paper 1 is missed." Under the GCE Board’s current, unyielding rules, no student is permitted entry once the 30-minute threshold passes.

Tight Lips At The Registry
While most center leaders were eager to share data, the GCE Board has reinforced strict protocols regarding public relations. At Prestige Bilingual College in Mimboman, Yaoundé, the Supervisor Mr. Aneh Macauley declined to give specific details on his center's performance, citing firm directives to refer all press inquiries directly to the GCE Board Registry.
Despite minor individual hitches and administrative gag orders, the overarching narrative of Day One rem...