40% of 2024 NECO Candidates May Miss University Admission Over Failed Core Subjects – NSSEC

A concerning report from the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) reveals that up to 40% of 2024 NECO candidates could miss out on university admission due to failing core subjects. The warning comes from Dr. Iyela Ajayi, the Executive Secretary of NSSEC, who expressed concern over poor performance in crucial subjects such as Mathematics and English.

Speaking at a capacity-building workshop for English and mathematics teachers in Calabar, Dr. Ajayi highlighted the alarming statistics showing that a significant percentage of candidates did not meet the necessary grade requirements in these subjects, which are prerequisites for most tertiary programs in Nigeria. While 61% of NECO candidates passed with at least five credits, including Mathematics and English, 40% failed to achieve the passing grades required to secure admission into universities.

The issue extends beyond NECO, as similar trends were observed in the West African Examination Council (WAEC) results, with approximately 28% of candidates failing to pass the foundational subjects.

Dr. Ajayi also underscored a broader challenge facing Nigeria’s education sector: the shortage of qualified teachers and inadequate teacher training programs, particularly in Mathematics and English. Despite efforts to improve the curriculum and infrastructure, he noted that the quality and quantity of teachers remain critical obstacles to educational progress.

He called for enhanced training and retraining initiatives for educators in these core subjects to address the crisis and ensure that students are better prepared for academic success in the future.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with these educational challenges, the future of many students hangs in the balance, with the fate of 40% of NECO candidates potentially hinging on improving teacher quality and performance in foundational subjects.