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The National Examination Council (NECO) has invited 40 secondary schools across 17 states of Nigeria over allegations of mass cheating.
This is just as the Council announced the release of the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results of candidates.
NECO Registrar Prof. Dantani Wushishi disclosed this at a press conference in Minna, Niger State capital.
Wushishi announced that 8,437 candidates were indicted in various forms of malpractices as compared to 12,030 in 2023, showing a 30.1 per cent reduction of various forms of malpractices.
He said all the schools involved in cheating would be invited to the council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions would be applied.
The statement read in part: “During the conduct of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examinations, 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole-school (mass) cheating in 17 states. They will be invited to the council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.
“One school in Ekiti State was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in two core subjects and one science subject.
“Similarly, 21 supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness, and negligence in 12 states.”
Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of candidates who took the 2024 NECO SSCE passed with English Language and Mathematics.
Giving a breakdown of performance in the examination, Wushishi said, “The number of candidates registered for the examination is 1,376,423, comprising 706,950 males and 669,473 females.
“The number of candidates who sat for the exam is 1,367,736, comprising 702,112 males and 665,624 females.
“The number of candidates with five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, is 828,824, representing 60.55 per cent.
“The number of candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics, is 1,147,597, representing 83.90 per cent.”
