The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NECO

  • Navy School best in NECO exams

    The Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State has emerged the overall best in the June/July 2014 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) organised by the National Examination Council (NECO).

    Two of the school’s best performing pupils also got scholarships and medals from Learn Africa Development Foundation to further their studies.

    Speaking during the award of excellence to the school and the best pupils in the examination organised by Learn Africa Foundation in Calabar, the school’s Commandant, Navy Commander Eleazu Uriri said the award is a call to work harder.

    “Even though we are very happy that we (Navy Secondary School) emerged the overall best, having been second best twice, the award is a challenge to continue to provide academic excellence to the students of the school.

    “Attaining the status of best Secondary School in Cross River State was not an easy task to come by due to competition and strive for excellence among schools to get Learn Africa Foundation Development Annual Award,” he said.

    The commandant also thanked the teachers, students and their parents for keying into the vision of the school, which is berthed solely on discipline, excellence and knowledge for development.

    Learn Africa Foundation team leader, Mr Ben Warri said the award and scholarships were instituted in conjunction with NECO to further recognise the importance of excellence in education to national development.

  • Why NECO withheld candidates’ results – Niger Government

    Why NECO withheld candidates’ results – Niger Government

    Niger State Government on Tuesday said the cash crunch hitting the nation’s economy was responsible for its inability to pay the National Examination Council (NECO) examination fees which has led to the non-release of results of candidates that sat for the June/July 2014 Secondary School Certificate in the state.

    But the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state said the excuse given by the government will not stand, alleging that the money that should have been spent for such payment had been used for promotion of the 2015 ambition of one of the governorship aspirants of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The state’s Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Danladi Abdulhameed, while confirming the development in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Minna, said that inadequate cash flow from the Federation Account was responsible for the delay in payment of examination fees.

    Parents and Candidates that say for the examination have raised concern over the non release of the results six weeks after the examination body released the results nationwide.

    Abdulhameed said that out of the total bill of N294million, the state paid N100 million last month to NECO and assured that the balance of N194 million would soon be off set, as measures are being taken to effect payment.

    “This month we are going to settle all our outstanding debts. Therefore, I am appealing to our students and parents that this administration will continue with its free education programme to the end.

    “This year, government approved the sum of N688million to pay for internal and external examinations in the state. So far out of the N294million we owe NECO, we have been able to pay N100million and the remaining balance will be settled this month.”

    The commissioner regretted the development and appealed for the understanding of NECO, stressing that the state government has never owed the examination body since the scheme started.

    The APC Publicity Secretary, Jonathan Vatsa, condemned the insensitivity of the state government to the future of the candidates, accusing the government of squandering the state’s meagre resources to promote the political ambition of governorship and senatorial aspirants.

     

     

  • ABUAD introduces incentives for undergraduates, others

    THE Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) has released a package of incentives for its undergraduates, parents, academic and non-academic workers.

    This was contained in a statement announcing the university’s scholarships for the 2014/2015 academic session.

    The  Founder, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), was quoted as saying the incentives and scholarships were designed to “promote quality, equity and relevance in education.”

    The statement indicated that undergraduates, who attain a Cumulate Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 and above will enjoy scholarships valued at N500.000 each.

    Their counterparts with between 4.75 and 4.99 CGPA will  be accorded scholarship worth N200.000 each, while those with 4.74 will get N100,000 each.

    Beside those in the above categories, merit award plus N100.000 cash will be presented to the ‘Most disciplined student’; ‘Best dressed student’; ‘Outstanding student leader’; ‘Sports man of the year’; ‘Sports woman of the year’; as well as the ‘Cleanest hostel user’ (male and female).

    Prospective students, who choose to study Agriculture, would enjoy 50 per cent reduction in tuition.

    Also, work and study opportunity will be available for such students to earn extra cash for services rendered on ABUAD farm, cafeteria, library and hostel. Upon graduation, ABUAD also promises graduates financial assistance to facilitate self-employment.

    The largesse is also extended to parents and workers.

    Workers with biological children in the university would enjoy 25 per cent discount in tuition, ditto for parents with more than one child in the institution.

    Lecturers and prospective lecturers will enjoy full payment of their salary once   permission is obtained from ABUAD  management to attend postgraduate courses in any Nigerian university.

    The university is also giving monetary help to lecturers who wish to study abroad, attend conferences or undertake research, among others.

    Like students, lecturers, who in the outgoing year, have also distinguished themselves will be presented with merit awards in various categories:  ‘Best dressed lecturer’; ‘Most disciplined lecturer’; ‘Lecturer of the year’ ‘Most engaged lecturer’; ‘Most punctual lecturer’; ‘Most persevering lecturer’;  ‘Outstanding non-teaching staff’; as well as ’Most dutiful non-teaching staff.’

    Prospective indigent but brilliant students with proof of their poor financial background will be given free scholarships, comprising tuition and accommodation.

    Similarly, in line with ABUAD’s tradition since inception, undergraduates who lose parents or guardians while still studying in the university would automatically enjoy full scholarships.

    The indigent students must have six distinctions (A1) in WAEC or NECO, in addition to being offered admission into his selected course.

  • Ekiti kingship’s contestant in court for alleged forgery, fraud

    Ekiti kingship’s contestant in court for alleged forgery, fraud

    A contestant for the royal stool of Onikun of Ikun-Ekiti, Moba Local Government area, Ekiti State, Omowumi James Rotimi, appeared yesterday before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate’s Court over alleged certificate forgery and involvement in Advance Fee Fraud (AFF), otherwise known as 419.

    The people of the community, acting under the aegis of Ikun-Ekiti Development Union (IEDU), took the contestant before the court.

    They insisted that Rotimi was “unqualified to contest for the post of the Onikun” – the town’s monarch.

    They urged the court to overrule him to save the image and integrity of the town.

    The IEDU, in an affidavit deposed to at the court, alleged Rotimi forged all certificates he presented to the town’s kingmakers to facilitate his selection as the Onikun.

    It stated: “Rotimi is a notorious fraudster, whose main source of income is Advance Fee Fraud otherwise known as 419,” adding that “any attempt to present the candidate for obaship will undermine the age-long values of the town and upset the cosmic order in Ikun-Ekiti.”

    Before his arraignment, the contestant was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the state Police Command from where he was charged to court.

    The town’s union said Rotimi confessed to the police under interrogation that he presented a fake university degree to the kingmakers and that he only had a secondary school certificate.

    IEDU alleged that the National Examinations Council (NECO) certificate Rotimi claimed to have obtained from Akewusola College, Amoyo in Kwara State, which he presented to the kingmakers, was forged and that his claims that he obtained a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree in Adult Education from the University of Ado-Ekiti in 2007 was also false.

    The magistrate, Mr. J. Ayenimo, granted Rotimi bail in the sum of N200,000 with a surety, who must have a landed property within Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District.

    It was learnt yesterday that the kingmakers had pegged the least qualification of any aspirant for the throne at a minimum of university degree to ensure that the new monarch meets general expectations.

  • NECO announces SSCE results

    NECO announces SSCE results

    The National Examinations Council (NECO) announced yesterday that 52.29 per cent of the candidates, who sat for the June/July 2014 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) passed at credit level in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

    The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Prof. Promise Okpala, who announced the result in Minna, said 74.30 per cent of the candidates made five credits and above.

    He said 978,886 candidates of the 989,622, who registered, sat for the examination, which was conducted in 76 subjects.

    Giving a breakdown of the result, Okpala said of the 989,622 candidates, who wrote the examination, 72.58 per cent scored credit level and above in English language, while 69.49 per cent made similar grades in Mathematics.

    In sciences, 72.86 per cent of the candidates, who sat for Chemistry had credits, while 69.38 per cent of Physics candidates had credit and in Biology, 67.83 per cent of the candidates made credit grades.

    Okpala said beyond the cost of running the examination, insecurity in many parts of the country affected the logistic operations of the council during the school-based examination.

    The registrar said the efforts of the council at reducing examination malpractices paid off, as only 0.44 per cent of those who sat for the examination were involved in malpractices.

    A comparative analysis of past results showed a steady improvement in results over the past three years, posting the best result in the current year.

  • NECO announces SSCE results

    NECO announces SSCE results

    he National Examinations Council (NECO) announced yesterday that 52.29 per cent of the candidates, who sat for the June/July 2014 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) passed at credit level in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

    The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Prof. Promise Okpala, who announced the result in Minna, said 74.30 per cent of the candidates made five credits and above.

    He said 978,886 candidates of the 989,622, who registered, sat for the examination, which was conducted in 76 subjects.

    Giving a breakdown of the result, Okpala said of the 989,622 candidates, who wrote the examination, 72.58 per cent scored credit level and above in English language, while 69.49 per cent made similar grades in Mathematics.

    In sciences, 72.86 per cent of the candidates, who sat for Chemistry had credits, while 69.38 per cent of Physics candidates had credit and in Biology, 67.83 per cent of the candidates made credit grades.

    Okpala said beyond the cost of running the examination, insecurity in many parts of the country affected the logistic operations of the council during the school-based examination.

    The registrar said the efforts of the council at reducing examination malpractices paid off, as only 0.44 per cent of those who sat for the examination were involved in malpractices.

    A comparative analysis of past results showed a steady improvement in results over the past three years, posting the best result in the current year.

  • APC chieftain: Kogi is on wrong path

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and gubernatorial aspirant in Kogi State, Chief Rotimi Obadofin, has described Kogi as a failed state 23 years after its creation.

    Obadofin, in a chat yesterday with journalists at his country home in Ayegunle Gbede in Ijumu Local government Area of the state, asserted that everything is wrong with the state.

    He argued that all the indices of development are not found in Kogi State 23 years after its creation, when compared with others created along with it.

    According to Obadofin: “As a matter of fact, Kogi is a failed state and what we have today is that there is no governance in the state.

    “All the indices to show that we have governance is not there. We have no governance in Kogi. What that means is that nothing is happening.”

    He deplored the poor state of infrastructure, particularly roads, which he said are not motorable.

    Going down memory lane, the APC stalwart pointed out that Kogi was created the same time with Osun and some other states, stressing that while Osun is progressively moving forward in terms of infrastructural development, the latter has stagnated.

    He said: “In Osun States education is free at the expense of the state government. The government pays for WAEC, NECO, for all SSSCE pupils and provides text books for pupils in primary schools.

    “In Osun you can sleep with your eyes closed because crime rate is very low.

    “There is no part in Osun where construction is not going on now but what do you have here other than lamentation by those at the helms of affairs?

    “They give the impression that the state cannot work. That we are so poor that work cannot be done.”

  • Suicide bomb attempt foiled in Gombe

    The police in Gombe State foiled yesterday what would have been a deadly attack in Gombe metropolis. It was gathered that the incident occurred at 10:45am at the Government Day Secondary School, Pilot, opposite Dukku Motor Park, when students were writing the National Examination Council (NECO) mathematics examination.

    Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were found under the back seat, near the fuel tank and within the engine of a grey Honda Odyssey.

    The vehicle was driven into the school wall and abandoned before the police arrived and defused the explosives.

    Commissioner of Police Abdullahi Kudu Nma said officers responded swiftly to the distress call.

    “A vehicle rammed into the school wall located opposite a market and a motor park and on searching the vehicle, we discovered some IEDs.”

    Recovered from the vehicle were three units of four feet cylinders, two units of two feet cylinders, three military tools boxes, two military ammunitions boxes and one stainless vacuum flask fabricated into IEDs.

    He said the devastation was capable of covering about 800 square metres.

    Other structures within the range include the Police Area Command, Fire Service Station, Local Government Service Commission, police barracks and a poultry production unit on the opposite side.

    On the same side of the road with the school are a private hospital, a hotel and another school.

    Nma said: “Only a quick response saved the situation and a close observation by the officers deployed saved the day because of the way it was hidden in the vehicle.

    “There was no and no suspect was arrested but investigations are still going on.”

     

     

  • My son, 25 others were not allowed to take WASSCE

    My son, 25 others were not allowed to take WASSCE

    MY son and 25 other students of Community Secondary School, Nko in the Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross  River State were duly registered for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

    All these students paid much money before they were registered by the school.

    But to the surprise of the parents, the students were not allowed to take the examinations. All efforts made to know why the students were denied this right were to no avail.

    My fear now is that these students may experience this type of disappointment from the National Examinations Council (NECO) later in the year because they were also registered for the examinations conducted by the NECO by the same school.

    I need explanations from the school  and WAEC on this important matter.

    I also want the governor of the state to intervene because the money paid for the examinations  has not been returned, and the students  are daily weeping because it is their belief that they have lost everything.

    Osikpong Williams Ofem,

    Nko, Yakurr, Cross River State.

  • NECO to conduct “another test’’ after Common Entrance

    NECO to conduct “another test’’ after Common Entrance

    •95,926 write exams across Nigeria

    THE National Examinations Council (NECO) says it will conduct another test for candidates who pass its Common Entrance Examination to select the best for admission into Federal Government Colleges on merit.

    The Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, made the announcement yesterday when he monitored the ongoing Common Entrance examination in some schools in the FCT.

    Wike, who was represented by the Director, Basic and Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Daniel Uwaezuoke, said this was in line with government’s promise to ensure that 60 per cent of admissions into Federal Government Colleges were on merit.

    According to him, 40 per cent will be allocated on the basis of quota system.

    He said the increase in enrolment this year was an indication that NECO was getting to a stage of perfection in conducting examinations and that parents were beginning to have confidence in the body.

    The Registrar of NECO, Prof. Promise Okpala, reiterated government’s resolve to ensure not only access but also quality in enrolment at all levels of education.

    Okpala said the increase in enrolment this year was a proof of parents’ confidence in the quality of education service offered by the schools.

    He said a total of 95,926 candidates registered for the Common Entrance Examination into Federal Government Colleges in 2014 as against 88,444 in 2013.

    The registrar said that 18,726 candidates registered for the examination in the FCT alone while Lagos State had the highest number of enrolment with 26,926 candidates.

    He disclosed that there was a decrease in some northern states where Borno registered 218, Yobe 176 and Adamawa 318.

    Zamfara, he said, recorded the lowest number of enrolment with only 113 candidates.