Ofure Akhigbe
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has granted accreditation to selected schools in Burkina Faso to host its examinations, further expanding its international presence.
This was disclosed in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Sunday by the Council’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani.
According to the statement, NECO will now begin the conduct of the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the West African country following a comprehensive accreditation visit by its assessment team.
Sani said the team inspected classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer laboratories, workshops, examination halls, sports facilities and security infrastructure. The team also reviewed Continuous Assessment records, teacher adequacy and the general learning environment of the schools.
“After a thorough evaluation, the schools were granted full accreditation to host the SSCE and BECE,” he said.
The spokesperson noted that the expansion into Burkina Faso underscored NECO’s commitment to providing quality education and assessment services beyond Nigeria’s borders.
“With its expanding global presence, NECO is poised to become a leading examination body in Africa,” he said, recalling the recent establishment of an examination centre in London, United Kingdom, in addition to existing centres in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Amb. M.D. Galadima, commended NECO for the development, describing it as a relief for Nigerian families resident in the country.
Galadima said parents had previously faced challenges arising from differences in educational systems and the lack of English-language schools. He noted that before now, parents had to take their children to Saki, Oyo State, to register and sit for the examinations, exposing them to security risks and financial strain.
The ambassador urged the Nigerian community in Burkina Faso to take advantage of the opportunity by enrolling their children for NECO examinations.
Leader of the accreditation team, Uche Ezenwanne, said the move would enable Nigerian students in Burkina Faso to sit for SSCE and BECE without travelling to Nigeria, thereby reinforcing NECO’s position as a leading examination body in Africa.