The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced the results of the 2023 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) just 58 days after the final paper was written on August 11. Prof. Dantani Wushishi, the NECO Registrar, revealed this information during a news conference in Minna, Niger. He proudly stated that the 2023 SSCE results were the best in recent years.
Breaking down the candidates’ performance, Wushishi reported that 737,308 candidates, accounting for 61.60% of the total applicants, scored five credits and above, including Mathematics and English Language. Out of the 1,196,985 candidates (616,398 males and 580,587 females) who took the exam, 1,013,611 candidates achieved five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics, representing an impressive 84.68%.
Wushishi highlighted the timely release of the results, attributing it to the management’s commitment to ensuring comprehensive and swift availability of the results. He also mentioned that 1,542 candidates with special needs participated in the examination, including those with hearing impairment, visual impairment, albinism, autism, low vision, and adermatoglyphia (candidates with no fingerprints).
Regarding malpractice, Wushishi reported a decrease, with 12,030 candidates (0.07%) involved in various forms of malpractice in 2023, compared to 13,594 (0.13%) in 2022. He revealed that 93 schools were found to have engaged in mass cheating and would face discussions and subsequent sanctions, while 52 supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to their involvement in poor supervision and aiding and abetting during the examination.
Furthermore, Wushishi provided information about the performance of states, highlighting that Abia had the highest percentage of candidates with five credits and above, including Mathematics and English Language, at 85.53%. Adamawa came second with 51.5%, while Kebbi had the lowest performance at 0.310%.
This remarkable achievement showcases the dedication of students and the effectiveness of the examination process, reflecting positively on the education system in the country.