The National Examinations Council (NECO) has issued a stern warning to school owners and relevant stakeholders, urging them to refrain from enrolling candidates for its examinations by proxy. This warning was articulated in a statement released on Monday, signed by the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani. The Council’s warning underscores its commitment to maintaining the integrity of its examinations and combating fraudulent practices that undermine the education system.
In the statement, Sani highlighted the increasing occurrence of proxy enrollments, noting that such fraudulent practices can lead to severe consequences, including identity theft and the issuance of fake results. “We have observed that such fraudulent practice often results in identity theft and subsequent parade of fake results,” he explained. This growing trend has prompted NECO to take decisive action to protect the integrity of its examinations and ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.
To combat examination malpractice, NECO has implemented a series of measures aimed at preventing impersonation during its examinations. These measures include the use of Biometric Data Capturing Devices, which are designed to verify the identity of candidates at the examination centers. Additionally, NECO has introduced customized answer booklets and mandates the embossing of candidates’ photographs and dates of birth on their original certificates. These steps are part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure that each examination is conducted fairly and securely.
Furthermore, NECO unveiled the NECO e-Verify platform last year, an online tool that enables candidates and educational institutions to confirm and verify the authenticity of NECO results. Sani emphasized the importance of this platform, stating that any certificate purportedly issued by NECO that cannot be verified through the e-Verify system is considered fake. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the examination process, providing a reliable method for verifying the legitimacy of results.
The Council is also calling on State Ministries of Education and school owners to adhere strictly to these guidelines. “It is essential that only the personal details of genuine candidates are used for registration in all NECO-conducted examinations,” Sani stated. This call to action emphasizes the need for collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure the integrity of the examination system.
In a recent development, NECO announced that candidates found guilty of impersonation during the recently released 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination Internal had their results withheld. This action reflects the Council’s robust policy aimed at deterring examination malpractice and upholding the standards of education in Nigeria. Sani reaffirmed that these measures are part of NECO’s ongoing efforts to eradicate all forms of examination fraud and maintain the credibility of its examinations.
As the NECO continues to reinforce its commitment to academic integrity, it remains crucial for all stakeholders in the education sector to comply with the established guidelines. By working together, they can help to foster a fair examination environment that supports genuine learning and assessment, ultimately benefiting students and the educational system as a whole.
