States Owe NECO N5.5 Billion as Exam Body Releases 2023 SSCE Results After Delays

In a recent development, the National Examination Council (NECO) has revealed that certain states in Nigeria are indebted to the organization to the tune of N5.5 billion. This debt has accrued between 2012 and 2023, primarily due to the states taking responsibility for the registration of their residents for the Senior School Certificate Examination (Internal).

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NECO, Prof. Danlami Wushishi, declined to disclose the names of the states with pending debts but urged them to expedite the process of settling these outstanding amounts. Prof. Wushishi made it clear that NECO would withhold the results of candidates from these debtor states until the debts are cleared.

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The delay in releasing the results had also postponed university admissions for the year. NECO had initially aimed to release the results within 45 days, but several delays occurred. It was later expected to be released on September 26th or 30th, and then again on October 5, 2023, before finally being officially confirmed on October 11, 2023.

The 2023 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results indicate that 737,308 candidates achieved five credits or more in Mathematics and English, representing 61.60% of the total candidates who took the examination. A total of 1,296,985 candidates sat for the examination.

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The Registrar also revealed that 12,030 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice during the examination, compared to 13,594 cases recorded in the previous year. Additionally, 93 schools were found to have been involved in "whole school (mass) cheating," and 52 Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision and aiding and abetting.The results highlight Abia State as the top-performing state, followed by Adamawa and Akwa Ibom, while Kebbi State had the lowest performance with only 0.310%.Candidates with special needs, including hearing and visual impairment, Albinism, Autism, low vision, and Adermatoglyphia, were part of the examination. The Registrar emphasized that the 2023 SSCE Internal has been certified as one of the best in recent times.

INCASE YOU MISSED: How to check NECO SSCE results for 2023

In a separate development, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised President Bola Tinubu's economic reforms in Nigeria, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of exchange rates, stating that these measures could lead to stronger and more inclusive economic growth. However, the IMF revised Nigeria's growth prospects downward to 2.9% for 2023, citing factors such as demonetization, high inflation, shocks to agriculture, and hydrocarbon output.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, expressed concern over the rising global debt service cost and highlighted the government's focus on stimulating domestic and foreign investments to reduce reliance on debt. He also mentioned upcoming tax reforms to improve revenue collection methods and address the financing deficit faced by Nigeria and other developing nations. The IMF emphasized the need for Nigeria to assume a more significant role in decision-making and prioritize inclusive growth.