NECO identifies infrastructure, funding, malpractice as obstacles to fair exams

By Sodiq Adelakun

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has identified poor infrastructure, surge in candidate enrollment, inadequate funding, examination malpractice, and question paper leaks as major constraints in ensuring fair and credible examinations in Nigeria.

The Registrar, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, made this known at a one-day retreat in Abuja on Monday.

According to Wushishi, despite NECO’s commitment to building a robust and equitable national assessment system that fosters educational excellence, the body faces numerous challenges.

He emphasised that strong legislation can contribute to aligning Nigerian qualifications with international standards.

The Registrar highlighted the need for improved infrastructure, adequate funding, and effective measures to combat examination malpractice and question paper leaks.

He noted that these challenges have contributed to the fallen standards of education in Nigeria, and NECO is working to address these issues to ensure fair and credible examinations.

He said, “These challenges underscore the critical need for a comprehensive national examination law specifically regulating all aspects of examination in Nigeria.

“We lack such a law, relying instead on a patchwork of regulations across examination bodies and individual schools,this creates vulnerabilities in the system.”

Speaking further, the Registrar proposed a bill titled, “The Conduct of Examinations in Nigeria,” urging members of the National Assembly to look into it to “create a future where Nigerian examinations are fair and equitable.”