By Kwin Israel, The Sight News
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has applauded the National Examinations Council (NECO) for its aggressive deployment of technology, particularly its transition to Computer-Based Examinations (CBE), saying the reforms have significantly strengthened the council’s capacity to conduct credible examinations.
Dr. Alausa gave the commendation at a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and other education stakeholders, where he praised the leadership of NECO Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, for driving what he described as a remarkable transformation of the examination body.
“I can tell you today, with all unequivocation, NECO is better placed. NECO conducts better exams. NECO uses better technology,” the minister said.
He was particularly emphatic about NECO’s speed in embracing computer-based testing, describing the council’s technological transformation as “amazing.”
“When we also go to this CBT, they move quickly, they deploy better technology. The transformation of NECO is amazing,” Alausa said.
The minister said NECO’s ability to adapt quickly to new technologies was one of the reasons the Federal Government backed Prof. Wushishi’s continued leadership of the council, insisting that the decision was based on performance and results rather than patronage.
“We’ve worked with him, we’ve got him to where we want, he’s doing so well, why do we have to change him?” he asked, stressing: “This thing is not about patronage to us. It’s not about patronage, it’s about value.”
The minister’s endorsement comes against the backdrop of NECO’s broader digital transformation, which includes online registration, biometric verification, computer-based testing for selected examinations, digital certificates and automated grading.
The Federal Government is also driving the gradual conversion of NECO examinations from the traditional Paper-Pencil Test (PPT) to Computer-Based Examination (CBE), as part of measures to improve efficiency, strengthen examination security and tackle malpractice.
Dr. Alausa said the increasing use of technology was particularly important in the fight against examination malpractice, which he described as one of the most serious threats to the integrity of Nigeria’s education system.
“It’s sad. Before we came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling, and the country accepted it. It was a nightmare,” he said.
According to the minister, examination questions were allegedly being obtained for as little as N3,000 before the current administration of NECO, led by Prof. Wushishi, began implementing reforms to strengthen the security and integrity of its examinations.
The minister described the situation as a disturbing reflection of how deeply examination malpractice had become entrenched in the country’s education system. He said the widespread leakage of examination questions not only undermined the credibility of public examinations but also placed students who prepared honestly at a serious disadvantage.
He warned that the continued tolerance of malpractice could ultimately undermine students who genuinely prepare for examinations, creating a system in which honesty becomes a disadvantage.
“The danger was that the good students would also become bad,” Alausa said, urging parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals, invigilators and students to support efforts to restore integrity to public examinations.
The commendation comes as the examination body has continued to expand its international footprint, conducting examinations in at least eight countries and providing Nigerian curriculum-based examinations for schools and candidates in the diaspora.
The council, which recently marked its 25th anniversary, says its examinations have impacted almost 35 million Nigerians since its establishment.
Wushishi has repeatedly pledged to deepen NECO’s investment in technology, human capital and institutional processes while strengthening fairness, credibility and integrity in examination administration.
The Federal Government also believes that measures such as the serial numbering of examination question papers will further help to reduce the risk of question-paper leakages before examinations.
