By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has commissioned new 70 operational vehicles for the National Examinations Council (NECO) to ensure seamless conduct of its examinations.
Also, commissioned was the multi-million naira NECO Scanning Centre, equipped with the state-of-the-art Optical Mark Reader (OMR) technology, a cutting-edge software introduced by the Council to ensure efficient grading of students and candidates in its various examinations.
Inaugurating the projects which also include Driver’s Pool, block of three classrooms for Senior Secondary component of NECO Staff School, and Data Centre in Minna, Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, applauded the Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, for bringing about robust development in the exam body.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Andrew Adejo, the minister said the five distinct projects commissioned were critical
to effective functioning and realization of the mandate of the Council.
He expressed the commitment of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu to transform the education sector in the country.
Mamman said the purchase of the logistics vehicles for ease of transportation examination materials, would substantially address the challenge of leakage of examination question papers as witnessed in the past.
On his part, the NECO Registrar expressed commitment to providing quality assessment and ensuring the integrity of the nation’s secondary school examinations.
He explained that logistics vehicles were a crucial component of the examination infrastructure, serving as a dedicated fleet of vehicles designed specifically for the transportation of essential examination materials, such as question papers and answer booklets.
Wushishi who reeled out various achievements of his adminstration in the last two and half years, said there is now timely release of results of all NECO examination and robust welfare package for staff of the Council.
According to him, the specialized vehicles were equipped with stringent security measures, making them an integral part of maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the examination process
“The primary function of these vehicles is to ensure the security and timely delivery of examination materials to numerous examination centres, whether they are located in urban areas or remote regions. This includes not only the distribution of papers but also the collection of completed answer booklets for subsequent processing.
He said: “Establishing and Equipping the NECO Data Centre and Scanning Centre in the era of digitalization, data management and security is paramount. The establishment and equipping of the NECO data centre and scanning centre represent a crucial step towards modernization and efficiency.
“This facility will house our sensitive examination data, ensuring its integrity and safeguarding it from unauthorized access. Additionally, the scanning center will expedite the processing of examination scripts, leading to faster result releases.
“These remarkable achievements are not merely the culmination of our efforts, they serve as a springboard propelling us towards even greater heights.
“We are committed to continuous improvement and innovation, constantly seeking ways to enhance our services and uphold the highest standards of integrity and excellence in our operations.
“Furthermore, in our drive to overcome our challenges of inadequate state offices, I am delighted to announce the ongoing construction of three new NECO state offices in Gombe, Katsina, an Kogi states.
“Currently, at 70% completion, these offices are being constructed using NECO’s internally generated revenue (IGR), representing a significant step forward in our efforts a modernize our infrastructure and enhance service delivery.
“The new office projects also testify to NECO’s financial prudence and our commitment to efficient resource management. We will soon invite the Honourable Minister to commission the new offices,” he stated.
The NECO boss lamented that for more than 15 years, the Council had yet to receive any appropriation for capital projects, disclosing however, that the National Assembly has now appropriated for NECO to construct seven additional state offices in Nasarawa, Rivers, Lagos, Sokoto, Taraha, Jigawa, and Abia states.
Meanwhile, more than 70 staff members of the Council received various categories of awards during the 2023 annual productivity award ceremony as part of the Council’s reward system.
