The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the November/December 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination. The Registrar of NECO, Prof Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, made the announcement in Minna, Niger state. The exam had a total of 59,124 candidates, with 31,316 males, representing 52.96%, and 27,808 females, representing 47.03%. English Language had 58,012 candidates, out of which 44,162 (76.13%) got Credit and above, and Mathematics had 57,700 candidates, out of which 43,096 (74.69%) got Credit and above. The number of candidates with five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, is 33,914, representing 57.36%. In addition, 46,825 candidates, representing 79.20%, got five credits and above irrespective of English Language and Mathematics. However, the number of candidates booked for various forms of malpractice is alarming, as 11,419 candidates were found guilty, as against 4,454 in 2021, a sharp increase.

According to the NECO boss, the rise in uncovered malpractice cases is largely due to the improved strategy and technique adopted by monitoring officers. And this monitoring also led to the blacklisting of four supervisors, one each from Rivers and Plateau States, and two from Ogun State for aiding and abetting and poor supervision. Recall that the 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination, External, was conducted by NECO from 21 November to 21 December 2022 and is being released 57 days after. The exam had 29 subjects, the same as the 2021 edition.

The results of the November/December 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination show that while many candidates performed well, malpractice remains a significant challenge that requires urgent attention. NECO must continue to adopt effective strategies to combat this menace and ensure that the integrity of its exams is not compromised. Additionally, the Federal and State Governments, as well as relevant stakeholders, must support NECO’s efforts to promote quality education and reduce examination malpractice in Nigeria.