NECO releases results, blacklists 13 schools for exam malpractice

The Registrar of National Examination Council (NECO), Prof. Promise Okpalla, on Thursday announced  the blacklisting of 13 secondary schools in the country for alleged involvement in malpractice in June/July examinations.
Okpalla announced this at a news conference to formally release the June/July results.
He said the blacklisting was in line with the Federal Ministry of Education’s zero tolerance for any kind of malpractice.

The registrar said the schools cut across seven states in the federation, namely Cross-River, Imo, Rivers, Anambra, Benue, Kano and Nassarawa.
“The key mandate of the body is to conduct examinations whose results will be trusted worldwide for its credibility.

“Therefore, schools and students involved in exam malpractice have been duly sanctioned through de-recognition or cancellation of results,’’ he said.

He said that in spite of all challenges, NECO had improved in both security and provision of writing materials for candidates during the examination.
The registrar said that the examination body had also improved on the period of marking and release of the results.
Okpalla said the highest number of malpractice was recorded in the Clothing and Textile subject with 3.55 per cent.
He said Benue recorded the highest number of malpractice with about 1.80 per cent cases and FCT, lowest with about 0.07 per cent.
The registrar urged Nigerians not to entertain fears as to the credibility of the certificates issued by the council.
He, however, said that no syndicate could either break through the security gadgets or forge NECO’s certificates. (NAN)