Ms Melisa Abena Okyerewaa Amoah, a student currently at the University of Ghana, Legon, was awarded the overall best student in Ghana, whiles Nana Adwoa Agyemang Sereboo, who is currently studying at the Ashesi University, Accra, was awarded the second prize winner.

Ms Amoah was also adjudged the best candidate in the General Science Programme, whilst Ms Agyemang was also adjudged best candidate in Business Programme.

Ms Ewurabena Esiboaba Cudjoe, a student of University of Ghana, Legon, was awarded the third prize winner, and Mesdames Antoinette Mensah and Barbara Afenyo, were adjudged best candidates in Home Economics and Visual Arts programmes respectively.

Master Kaleb Smith, formerly of Achimota School was adjudged as the best candidate in General Arts and Chief Kwamena Katu, adjudged the best candidate in the Technical programme.

Two Ghanaian awardees are expected to pick awards at the international level in Monrovia, this year.

The WAEC Distinction Awards Ceremony for WASSCE for School candidates, 2019, an annual event instituted under the WAEC Endowment Fund seeks to award hard work and excellence as well as instill discipline and honesty among the youth.

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Kwesi Yankah, the Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, said this year's award ceremony had come at a time that government policy on Secondary or High School Education could be partly put to test.

Taking a broader context of WASSCE from its inception in 2006, Prof. Yankah noted that there had been an impressive performance in Science and Maths in the year 2019.

Prof. Yankah attributed the impressive results to the permanent change of school academic calendar, which was from trimester to a semester system.

According to him, this had increased the contact hours between teachers and students from six to seven hours a day.

He also noted that the change of the start of WASSCE exam period from February to April, had also allowed candidates more time to cover syllabus before exams started.

"Special Intervention for final years: reopening of school on January 5, 2019 instead of the scheduled date in March for the second semester. Payment of an academic intervention fee or bonus, which was meant to be an incentive for extra teaching by teachers and periodic meeting between the Ministry and head of schools more especially those heads running low performing schools," he noted.

Prof. Yankah lauded the achievement of Agona Nyakrom Senior High Technical School (NYASTEC) for achieving remarkable progress in the sciences.

He was enthused that NYASTEC had populated the various universities in the veterinary science, architecture, engineering, medicines.

"The year 2020 should be no different and I wish to throw a challenge to the first batch of Free SHS students who will be taking part in this year's examinations to exceed our expectations," he said.

He urge all students to study hard, do independent work in the examination hall and eschew malpractice in any form to contribute to the success story of Ghana within the sub-regions.

Prof. Yankah advised the students to; "always bear in mind that the key  to success in life is not to get ahead of other people but to get ahead of ourselves".