Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to revamping the National Examinations Council (NECO) and other examination bodies to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader agenda for revitalizing the education sector and ensuring high-quality education.
Speaking at the launch of examination logistics vehicles, NECO Data and scanning centers, and staff productivity awards held at the National Examinations Council headquarters in Minna, Niger State, the minister, represented by Permanent Secretary Mr. Andrew David Adejoh, stressed the necessity to fortify the examination bodies. Strengthening them would guarantee accurate assessment and enhance students’ performance at the foundational level of education, which he deemed pivotal for the overall improvement of the education sector. He urged stakeholders’ maximum cooperation to achieve these objectives.
Earlier in the event, Professor Dantani Wushishi, Registrar of the National Examinations Council, highlighted the acquisition of 70 new examination logistics vehicles to ensure prompt and seamless delivery of examination materials nationwide. He emphasized the persistent challenges in logistics, citing their potential to delay and disrupt the smooth conduct of examinations.
Wushishi also underscored the establishment and outfitting of data and scanning centers as part of a modernization initiative aimed at enhancing efficiency in sensitive data collection processes and safeguarding against unauthorized access to examination data.
Regarding capital projects, Wushishi revealed a significant lack of appropriation for such projects in the past 15 years. Despite the National Assembly’s allocation for constructing seven additional state offices in Nasarawa, Rivers, Lagos, Sokoto, Taraba, Jigawa, and Abia states, the council has relied on Internally Generated Revenue to execute these vital capital initiatives.
