By The Warden
The Federal Government has announced that the National Examinations Council will commence computer-based examinations this year as part of efforts to curb examination malpractice and modernise Nigeria’s assessment system.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during NECO’s 25th anniversary celebration held in Abuja.
He said the transition to technology-driven examinations marked a major step towards strengthening the credibility of public examinations and improving Nigeria’s global education standards.
According to Alausa, the new examination model will enable authorities to “monitor candidates in real time, detect suspicious activities and reduce examination fraud.”
“We are at the threshold of a very important reform, which NECO is spearheading, and that is the Computer-Based Examination, which is to commence this year,” Alausa said.
He described NECO as a key institution in safeguarding integrity and accountability in the education sector, noting that the council had evolved into a reliable examination body over the past 25 years.
Alausa further stated that NECO’s growth reflected Nigeria’s determination to establish a credible national examination system capable of providing equal opportunities for students nationwide.
He added that the examination body had “improved examination security, enhanced scoring reliability and expanded access to examinations in underserved communities while embracing technological innovations that restored public confidence in its certificates.”
Alausa also revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to provide the necessary oversight to ensure NECO’s examinations aligned with national educational goals and curriculum standards, while stressing the need for educational assessments to move beyond rote learning and focus on modern skills such as critical thinking, digital literacy and problem-solving.