All candidates of this year's West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) would be biometrically verified to tackle the growing trend of impersonation during examinations.

Head of Ghana National Office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Mrs Wendy Addy-Lamptey, who disclosed this, stressed that the canker is eating deep into some schools, and WAEC was now recording impersonation cases in school examinations, something that was unthinkable a few years ago, hence a stop must be put to it.

She was speaking on Friday at this year's WAEC Distinction Awards for the 2018 WASSCE Best Candidates.

Mrs Addy-Lamptey also said examination malpractices had become the single most challenging threat to the integrity of examinations globally.

For the private examination, she said the activities of 'soft' or 'miracle' centres are becoming a source of concern to WAEC.

"We are, however, determined to intensify the fight against all forms of examination malpractices by providing further training for supervisors and invigilators.

"We will also continue to expand the scope of our sensitisation to reach many more candidates with rules and regulations of the examination and to assure them that they can pass the examination without cheating," she said.

She said the council's quest to deploy appropriate technology tools to check the menace will continue without let.

This year's WASSCE will commence on Monday, April 8 and end on Friday, June 7, 2019.

Awards

Wesley Girls' High School in Cape Coast swept four of the six prizes at stake at the 2019 WAEC Distinction Awards ceremony Friday.

Wilhermina Opoku, a former student of the school, currently pursuing science at KNUST, was adjudged the Overall Best in the WASSCE.

In addition, she also emerged the Best Candidate for the General Science programme.

Ms Sarpong Brago Afrifa, formerly of Yaa Asantewaa Girls' SHS, Kumasi, and currently at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), came up as the Second Overall Best student.

Ms Imelda Naa Ayorkor Adjei, also a former student of the Wesley High Girls' School, Cape Coast, and currently pursuing science at the University of Ghana, took the third position.

The Overall Best in the General Arts Programme went to Ms Davina Seyram Gbedy, another former student of Wesley Girls' High School, while the lone gentleman in the midst of the ladies, Master Dennis Acquah, a former student of St Augustine's College, picked the Overall Best Business student.