By Felix Khanoba
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has upgraded its examination processes with the installation of a high-performance Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) scanner, aimed at improving speed, accuracy, and security.
Speaking at the commissioning of the new scanning machine at the ICT Department in Minna, the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, highlighted the importance of the acquisition in enhancing the council’s operations.
Prof. Wushishi described the Scantron Insight 1500c as a state-of-the-art OMR scanner, renowned for its fast processing speed and precision in handling large volumes of scripts.
“With this new addition, we will significantly enhance our data processing capabilities, ensuring faster and more accurate results processing for millions of candidates across the world,” Wushishi stated, as quoted in a statement by Azeez Sani, NECO’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations.
He noted that the machine can scan over 15,000 OMR sheets per hour — approximately 250 sheets per minute — and simultaneously score them.
The scanner, which cost around N500 million, represents a major step forward in NECO’s ongoing efforts to integrate advanced technology into its examination procedures.
Mr. Goddy Usioboh, Director of the ICT Department, emphasized that the new scanner aligns with NECO’s vision of delivering world-class examination services while upholding the integrity of its assessments.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tom Harry, a technical adviser from Scantron Company in Minnesota, USA, who trained NECO’s ICT staff on the machine’s operations, praised the team’s dedication and attentiveness during the training sessions.
