A total of 828,284 candidates, representing 60.55% of those who sat for the 2024 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE), secured credits in both English Language and Mathematics, the National Examination Council (NECO) announced on Thursday.
Speaking at NECO’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, NECO Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, revealed that 1,376,436 candidates participated in the examination, with results being released just two months after the final paper.
According to Wushishi, 83.9% of the candidates achieved five credits or more in any subjects, regardless of their performance in English and Mathematics.
In addition to sharing the results, Wushishi highlighted a decrease in examination malpractice cases. “A total of 8,407 candidates were involved in malpractices in the 2024 SSCE, marking a reduction from the 12,030 recorded in 2023,” he said.
The 2024 SSCE was conducted from June 19 to July 26, 2024, with the marking exercise completed between August 19 and September 8, 2024. “Today marks 55 days since the last written paper, and all processes for the successful release of the results have been completed,” Wushishi added.
The registrar also provided key statistics for the 2024 examination:
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, including English and Mathematics: 828,284 (60.55%).
Candidates with five credits, irrespective of English and Mathematics: 1,147,597 (83.90%).
NECO also uncovered cases of mass cheating in 40 schools across 17 states, with these institutions set to face a disciplinary panel for appropriate sanctions. In addition, 21 supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to misconduct, including extortion and drunkenness during the examination.
