NECO Releases Results, Records Marginal Improvement

Again, Ekiti tops other states, Zamfara comes last

Laleye Dipo

The National Examination Council (NECO) yesterday released the results of the senior secondary school certificate examination that was conducted nationwide and some overseas countries between June and July this year, showing a marginal improvement in results by 1 per cent.

The results showed that 745,053 candidates that sat for the examination recorded credit and above pass marks in English and Mathematics, while 947,850 candidates passed with credit and above in five subjects, irrespective of English and Mathematics.

Registrar and chief executive officer of NECO, Prof. Charles Uwakwe, who announced the results said over 1,055,988 candidates registered for the examination, while 1,051472 actually sat for the test, covering a total of 76 subjects.

The registrar disclosed that 50,586 candidates were involved in examination malpractices, adding that 276 schools were involved in “mass cheating” in 34 states.

Uwakwe said six schools had been “derecognised” for their involvement in examination malpractices in addition to 23 supervisors “who aided malpractices in one way or the other were blacklisted”.

He said the three foreign countries whose citizens took part in the examination were Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Togo.

Uwakwe disclosed that NECO would continue to “put in place a robust plan that will ensure fairness and equity in all our dealings with staff, in line with the present administration’s zero tolerance for corruption and impunity”.

“Consequently, we have developed a new NECO ethos, which has remained a guide in all our activities. Simply put, we have zero tolerance for corruption and impunity in all that we do,” he said.

To sustain the already established credibility for which the organisation is known, the registrar said NECO would continue to use both internal and external examination monitors and security agencies in all its examinations.

A review of the results released showed that Ekiti State for the second year running emerged top in the country, beating other states.

Of the 11,539 candidates from schools in Ekiti who sat for the examination, 9,793 passed with five credits and above including English and Mathematics.

The performance of 85 per cent mark put the state above 35 states and candidates of the three neighbouring countries in West Africa.

Edo State, which presented 22,062 candidates for the examination, came second with 18,560 students recording credit and above pass marks in subjects, including English and Mathematics. The performance represented a pass rate of 84.61 per cent.

Bayelsa, with 4,451 candidates who sat for the examination, recorded five credits and above pass marks in five subjects, including English and Mathematics.

Ogun, with 25,716 candidates, came fourth, recording credit and above pass marks in five subjects and above, including English and Mathematics.

Zamfara State, which presented 26,070 candidates, out of which 26,020 sat for the examination, recorded a 48.45 per cent pass rate to lead from the rear as 12,607 candidates passed five subjects and above, including English and Mathematics.

The 22 candidates that sat for the examination from Togo, Benin, and Equatorial Guinea did not pass in English.

This was traced to fact that students were from francophone countries, however, the tests were conducted in English.