The National Examination Council (NECO) announced that it is investigating 40 secondary schools across 17 states for alleged mass cheating during the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). This was revealed by NECO’s Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, during a press conference in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday, where he also released the 2024 SSCE results.
Prof. Wushishi highlighted that 8,437 students were caught in various forms of exam malpractice in 2024, showing a decrease from the 12,030 cases reported in 2023, which represents a 30.1% reduction. NECO plans to invite the involved schools for a discussion, and appropriate sanctions will be applied based on the investigation’s findings.
Wushishi further stated that one secondary school in Ekiti State has been recommended for de-recognition due to mass cheating in two core subjects. NECO has also identified and plans to blacklist 21 exam supervisors in 12 states. These supervisors are being accused of poor supervision, aiding cheating, negligence, and other unethical behaviors, such as drunkenness and extortion during the exams.
Despite the issues with cheating, the overall performance of students in the 2024 SSCE showed positive results. Over 60% of the students who took the exams passed with at least five credits, including in the crucial subjects of English Language and Mathematics. Out of the 1,376,423 candidates registered, 1,367,736 actually sat for the exams. Of these, 828,824 students, or 60.55%, earned five credits or more, including English and Mathematics. Moreover, 83.9% of students (1,147,597) achieved five credits or more, regardless of the inclusion of English and Mathematics.
The crackdown on cheating schools comes as NECO continues its efforts to maintain the integrity of the exam process. Prof. Wushishi expressed the council’s commitment to ensuring that exam malpractices are minimized and that students are encouraged to achieve success through hard work and honest efforts.
This investigation reflects NECO’s determination to uphold standards in Nigeria’s educational system, ensuring fairness and transparency in the conduct of national exams. While some schools and supervisors are facing serious consequences, the majority of students performed well in the 2024 SSCE, and NECO remains focused on fostering a fair exam environment for all.
NECO’s actions follow concerns about increasing incidents of cheating and malpractice in Nigerian schools, which undermine the credibility of academic qualifications. Through these ongoing investigations, the council aims to address these issues and ensure that the examination process reflects the true capabilities of students across the country.
