NECO to conduct “another test’’ after Common Entrance

Northern State had the least number of students.

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, Nyesom Wike, made the announcement on Saturday through a representative, Daniel Uwaezuoke, during a monitoring exercise of the ongoing Common Entrance examination in some schools in Abuja.

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

He also said 40 per cent of the students 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.

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

Mr. 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, however, 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.

(NAN)