NECO Summons 40 Schools Over Mass Cheating in 2024 SSCE
The National Examination Council (NECO) has announced it will summon the management of 40 secondary schools across 17 states for alleged mass cheating during the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). NECO’s Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing in Minna, the capital of Niger State, while releasing the 2024 SSCE results.
Prof. Wushishi revealed that 8,437 candidates were involved in various forms of examination malpractice, a significant reduction from 12,030 cases in 2023, reflecting a 30.1% decrease. He stressed that the council would meet with the schools implicated in the cheating scandal before deciding on the appropriate sanctions.
“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,” Wushishi stated.
Among the schools implicated, one in Ekiti State was recommended for de-recognition after being found guilty of mass cheating in two core subjects. Additionally, 21 supervisors from 12 states have been recommended for blacklisting due to various infractions, including poor supervision, aiding and abetting cheating, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness, and negligence.
Despite the challenges of malpractice, more than 60% of candidates who took the 2024 SSCE passed with credits in English Language and Mathematics. Wushishi provided the following breakdown of performance:
- Registered candidates: 1,376,423 (706,950 males and 669,473 females).
- Candidates who sat for the exam: 1,367,736 (702,112 males and 665,624 females).
- Candidates with five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics: 828,824 (60.55%).
- Candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics: 1,147,597 (83.90%).
The NECO registrar reiterated the council’s commitment to upholding the integrity of its examinations and ensuring that malpractice is addressed decisively.
