Head of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) National Office, Dr Mrs Rosemond Wilson, has urged candidates to avoid shortcuts during examinations.

She said the future of candidates was built through hard work, integrity and determination, not shortcuts.

“Continue to pursue excellence and remember that the future you seek is built not through shortcuts, but through hard work, integrity and determination,” she said at the WAEC Distinction Awards ceremony in Accra for the 2025 WASSCE for School Candidates.

The awards, established in 1984 by the WAEC Endowment Fund, recognise excellence in examinations.

This year’s overall best candidates were three females from Legacy Girls’ College and Hope College.

Huda Suglo Suleman of Legacy Girls’ College, now at Ashesi University, won first prize, while Paula Adzo Elinam Sowu, also of Legacy Girls’ College and now at the University of Ghana, took second.

Aba Matthea Andoh of Hope College, currently at the University of Ghana, won third prize.

Other awardees included Huda Suglo Suleman and Ameera Issifu of Hope College, adjudged best candidates in General Arts and General Science, respectively.

Eric Aduamoah Larbi of Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School and Philip Dadzie Quaicoe of Mfantispim School were named best candidates in Business and Technical programmes respectively.

Dr Wilson said the achievements of the awardees were a reminder that diligence, determination and focus remained the surest pathway to success.

She commended teachers for their dedication and sacrifice in nurturing confident and accomplished students.

Dr. Wilson cautioned teachers against aiding examination malpractice, describing such acts as a betrayal of the teaching profession.

“Such conduct is unacceptable and must be firmly discouraged,” she said.

Dr Wilson noted that unscrupulous individuals had used platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram to falsely advertise leaked examination questions and extort money from unsuspecting candidates.

She commended security agencies for collaborating with WAEC to apprehend some perpetrators.

“As a Council, we have intensified stakeholder engagements to raise awareness about the dangers of examination malpractices and the damage it causes to the credibility of our certificates and to society at large,” she said.

Dr. Wilson encouraged awardees to become ambassadors of integrity by promoting honesty, hard work, and fairness in all academic pursuits.

She commended the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education and teachers for nurturing excellence and raising responsible citizens.