Abia State Ranks First as NECO Releases 2024 SSCE Results
The National Examination Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internals, with 828,284 candidates , representing 60.55%, scoring five credits, including Mathematics and English Language. This announcement was made by NECO's Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Dantana Wushishi, during a press briefing at the Council's headquarters in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday.
Professor Wushishi revealed that a total of 1,147,597 candidates, representing 83.90%, secured five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics. This marks a significant achievement for candidates in this year’s SSCE.
Key Statistics from the 2024 NECO SSCE
- Candidates Registered: A total of 1,376,423 candidates registered for the 2024 SSCE, out of which 1,367,736 actually sat for the exams.
- Gender Breakdown: Among those who sat for the exams, 702,112 candidates were male, while 665,624 were female.
- Candidates Involved in Malpractice: There was a notable reduction in examination malpractice cases this year. In 2024, 8,437 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice, representing a 30.1% decrease compared to 12,030 cases in 2023.
- Special Needs Candidates: A total of 2,267 special needs candidates participated in the exams. Of these, 1,104 had hearing impairments, 348 had visual impairments, 342 were albinos, 237 were autistic, and 236 had low vision.
Performance by States: Abia Leads, Katsina at the Bottom
One of the standout features of the 2024 SSCE results was the performance analysis by states. Abia State led the nation, with 83.40% of its candidates scoring five credits and above, including Mathematics and English. Abia also topped the list in terms of candidates securing five credits or more irrespective of Mathematics and English, with 95.84% achieving this feat.
On the other hand, Katsina State was ranked at the bottom of the performance table, with only 42.00% of its candidates securing five credits and above, including Mathematics and English. This placed Katsina just 2.42% ahead of Kano State, which came in second to last with 44.42%.
Malpractice and School Penalties
Despite the overall improvement in results and the reduction in malpractice cases, certain schools and supervisors were sanctioned for misconduct during the examination process. 40 schools across 17 states were found to have been involved in mass cheating, prompting penalties. In addition, 21 supervisors from 12 states were recommended for blacklisting due to issues such as poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness, and negligence.
One school in Ekiti State was singled out for de-recognition due to mass cheating in two core subjects and one science subject.
NECO's Commitment to Examination Integrity
Professor Wushishi reaffirmed NECO's commitment to upholding the integrity of the examination process. He stressed that the Council would continue to enforce stringent measures to ensure that future examinations are conducted in a fair and transparent manner. The reduction in malpractice cases this year, he noted, is a step in the right direction, reflecting NECO's efforts to curb examination misconduct across the country.
Conclusion
The release of the 2024 SSCE results has sparked reactions from across the country, particularly with Abia State leading the performance chart and Katsina at the bottom. The improved performance and reduced cases of malpractice reflect positively on NECO's ongoing efforts to maintain high standards in Nigeria’s educational system.
