The National Examinations Council (NECO) has accredited schools in Niger Republic and Equatorial Guinea to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
This move aims to expand the Council’s global presence and provide more opportunities for students outside Nigeria to participate in its examinations.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Mr. Azeez Sani, NECO’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations disclosed in a statement that the accreditation was the result of a rigorous evaluation process by NECO’s Accreditation Team, which visited the schools to assess their readiness to conduct the examinations.
“The NECO Accreditation Team visited these schools to assess their readiness to write the SSCE and BECE. The team inspected various facilities, including classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer laboratories, workshops, examination halls, and sports facilities. After a thorough evaluation, the schools were granted full SSCE and BECE accreditation status,” Sani explained.
NECO’s global expansion efforts
This accreditation is part of NECO’s broader initiative to expand its reach beyond Nigeria’s borders. Sani emphasized that the accreditation process is a reflection of NECO’s commitment to providing quality education and assessments on a global scale.
“This accreditation is a testament to NECO’s commitment to providing quality education and assessment beyond Nigeria’s shores,” he said.
- The Council is positioning itself to become a leading examination body in Africa, offering students worldwide the opportunity to benefit from its services.
- With this expansion, NECO is poised to provide an internationally recognized certification for students in countries across the African continent.
- In addition to the accreditation, Sani noted that NECO’s SSCE external examination would also take place in Diffa, Niger Republic, which marks the first-ever NECO SSCE external center outside of Nigeria.
“The UNHCR School in Diffa, Niger Republic, is the first NECO SSCE external centre outside Nigeria,” he confirmed.
What you should know
The National Examinations Council (NECO) is an examination body in Nigeria responsible for conducting examinations for students in the country’s secondary schools.
- Established in 1999, NECO administers various examinations, most notably the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) for school-based and external candidates, and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
- NECO’s role is to assess students’ academic abilities and certify their readiness for higher education or professional engagement. The council’s exams are widely recognized as a requirement for tertiary admission in Nigeria.
- For the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), a total of 1,376,423 candidates registered, with 1,367,736 participating. Of those who sat the exam, 60.55% (828,284) achieved at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics—requirements for university admission.
- This pass rate mirrors that of previous years: 61.60% in 2023 and 60% in 2022. 83.90% of candidates (1,147,597) obtained credits in at least five subjects, regardless of English Language and Mathematics, showing a slight decrease from 84.68% in 2023.