THE National Examinations Council (NECO), has released the November/December 2014 results with a considerable improvement in the performance of candidates compared to previous examinations conducted by the body, with 52.94 per cent credit pass in English Language and 55.37 per cent credit pass in Mathematics.
The Registrar and the Chief Executive Officer of the body, Professor Promise Nwackukwu Okpala, while announcing the results at the Council’s National Headquarters in Minna, Niger State on Wednesday, noted that the results were improvement on the previous exams conducted between 2011 and 2014.
Okpala pointed out that 63,445 candidates registered for the examinations, out of which 61,386 actually sat for the examinations, adding that 30.57 per cent of candidates recorded 5 credits and above in both English and Mathematics.
Analyses of other core subjects, shows that 53,848 sat for Biology with 26,947 pass credit level representing 50.04 per cent, Chemistry had 28,250 candidates with 14,8585 pass at credit level, representing 51.62 per cent, 28,222 sat for Physics with 57 pass cat credit level, representing 0.20 per cent.
Also, 1,753 sat for Further Mathematics while 395 passed at credit level, representing 22.53 per cent, Agricultural Science had 41,080 candidates with 12,006 pass at credit level, representing 29.22 per cent.
Professor Okpala stated that an analysis of the malpractices showed that 620 cases were recorded during the examination showing an increase in malpractices in NECO examinations.
Okpala therefore urged students to shun all forms of examination malpractices, adding that the Council has consistently made attempts to eradicate examinations malpractices.
The Registrar while expressing satisfaction over the improvement in NECO examinations by candidates, pointed out that the trend was an indication that efforts by President Goodluck Jonathan and all stakeholders in the education sector to improve the quality of teaching and learning in secondary schools were yielding positive results, calling on all Nigerians to support such laudable efforts and ensure high quality teaching-learning process in schools.
The ultimate aim, according to him, was to actualize the educational aspects of the transformation agenda of President Jonathan.
He believed that the role of promoting quality education through the conduct of selection and certification examination was a mission within the core mandate of NECO.
“To this end, we have steadily improved the quality of various stages of the Council’s examinations from, the pre-examination to the release of results in order to check examinations malpractices which pose serious challenge to quality examination delivery in Nigeria.’’
