Precision And Patience: A Deep Dive Into The 2026 GCE A Level Practicals Kick-off

On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the academic atmosphere across the Centre Region of Cameroon – just like the rest of the country -  shifted into a high-gear state of focus as the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level practical examinations officially commenced. While the broader written session is slated for June 2, 2026, the "battle of the laboratories" began today, primarily spearheaded by Chemistry, alongside technical and vocational subjects such as Food and Nutrition, ICT, and Woodwork.

Tour Of Accommodation Centres
Our investigative team conducted an extensive tour of several Accommodation Centres to gauge the level of preparedness, the mood of the candidates, and the logistical efficiency of the Cameroon GCE Board’s decentralized examination system.

At Light Word College
The journey began at 8:15 am at the Light Word Anglo-Saxon Academic Complex in Ngolngok, Mfou Sub-division, Mefou and Afamba Division. This rural, yet vital hub serves as an Accommodation Centre for three distinct institutions: Light Word, Wise Bilingual Academy Mfou, and Complex Scolaire Bilingue Terre d'Espérance, Borne 12, Odza, Yaounde.

Scheduling Students 
Despite the presence of officials and the arrival of eager candidates, the morning was characterized by a lesson in scheduling. Mr. Edwin Ncha, the GCE Board Supervisor at Light Word, clarified that while the national session had begun, this specific center fell under "Groups 3 and 4." Consequently, their practical sessions are scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2026 and Friday, May 8, 2026.
“The students came around to verify,” Mr. Ncha explained. “We had to inform them that their center does not fall under Group 1. We are currently using this time to prepare the labs so everything is perfect for Thursday.”

Confidence At Terre d'Espérance
Among those present was Mrs Azaofah Lennin Ngufor, a Biology teacher and administrator from Terre d'Espérance. She had accompanied her school’s four Chemistry candidates. Despite the delay for her specific students, she remained optimistic. “Our students are 90% prepared,” she noted. “GCE A Level preparation starts in Lower Sixth. The exam is not catch-up work; it’s a well-organized two-year programme.”

At GBHS Ekounou
By 9:30 am, our team arrived at Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Ekounou, Yaounde in Yaounde IV Subdivision of Mfoundi Division.. Surprisingly, the laboratories were shut. Upon contacting one of the Vice Principals of the Anglophone Section, Mr. Aneh Macauley, it was revealed that GBHS Ekounou candidates had been redistributed: internal students were at the Pinnacle of Success Academy, while external candidates were at the Amasia School Complex.

Sealed Lips At Amasia
The scene at Amasia at 10:30 am was one of intense activity. The campus was crowded with both regular students and GCE candidates. An official used a loudspeaker to organize students into sets, with some being told to return on May 6 or 7.
However, the atmosphere here was marked by a strict adherence to GCE Board secrecy. The Supervisor at Amasia refused to disclose his name or allow any filming of candidates, citing "strict instructions" from the GCE Board regarding media interaction. This wall of silence extended to the Principal, who declined to be interviewed or allow photos of the school’s surveillance monitor, directing all inquiries to the GCE Board Liaison Office in Ngoa-Ekelle, Yaounde.

Rare Moment Of Openness
The final stop at 11:30 am was the Pinnacle of Success Academy in Ekoumdoum, Yaounde. In stark contrast to the previous stop, the Principal, Dr. Nalionge Maximillianus Ewoko, was quite welcoming.
Pinnacle is hosting 156 candidates from four centers: Pinnacle itself, Ekoumdoum, Yaounde External, Peniel College, and GBHS Ekounou. Some 28 candidates began at 8:00 am and finished around midday. Another set of 24 candidates were on standby to start at1:00 pm. The center has been hosting for three years and recently added 24 new surveillance cameras, bringing the total to 40, covering every classroom and laboratory.
Ms. Winkar Marie Therese, the GCE Board Center Supervisor at Pinnacle, confirmed that the first session concluded without incident. "Students were very courageous," she remarked, noting that equipment checks were completed by 7:45 am to ensure a prompt 8:00 am start.

No Room For Leaks 
A recurring question throughout the day was the potential for "leaks," given that different groups perform the same practicals on different days. Mr. Edwin Ncha provided a technical rebuttal to these fears.
“For Chemistry, you can be my neighbor, but your mass and my mass are not the same. Your concentration and my concentration cannot be the same,” Ncha explained. He emphasized that the GCE Board uses the Superintendent’s results (the specific data generated by the supervisor on the day at that specific center) to grade candidates. Therefore, a student who tries to use an "end-point" value from a friend at a different center will inevitably fail, as the chemical variables ...