Over 80 percent of Borno students pass WAEC, NECO

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

Over 80 percent of final year students in public and private schools in Borno state obtained minimum of five credits that included Mathematics and English at this year’s Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations conducted by both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Officials of the WAEC and NECO disclosed this to Governor Kashim Shettima during a closed door meeting over inter-governmental matters delaying release of the result to students which are already been resolved.
Governor Shettima’s spokesman, Isa Umar Gusau discloed this in a statement, saying the government has annually been making 75 percent payments to WAEC and NECO fees for final year students in public schools with parents contributing 25 percent.
The statement said for this year’s (2017) the State Government is requesting some concessions from both WAEC and NECO in return for some non monetary assistance offered both exam bodies by the Borno State Government.
“It is an appeal in appreciation of Borno’s peculiar challenges and it’s consistent support for the exam bodies” it was said during the meeting.
During the meetig, Government and the two exam bodies resolved to negotiate concessions last night to ensure candidates don’t miss out in pursuing admissions into Universities.
Mallam Zakari Yau Abdullahi, officer in charge of WAEC at the Maiduguri zonal office informed Governor Shettima that 87.6 percent of candidates who sat for exams from public and private schools in Borno State got minimum of five credits required for eligibility into Universities.
On the final year exams by NECO, 82.5 percent of candidates from public and private schools passed the exams, an official, Ahmed Ma’aji told Shettima during their meeting.
A total of 15,623 students of public schools sat for the two exams, Director of Education of Resource Centre in the State, Alhaji Laminu Abba told the Governor.
“I want this issue immediately resolved. This nonpayment falls shot of out policy on Education. Borno is usually at the top in terms of making all payments to the Federal Government on issues concerning Education. I am a product of the public school system and I never attended any private school. It’s a temporary setback that must not be allowed to be a serious problem for candidates” Shettima said at the meeting while directing the State Commissioner for Education, Musa Inuwa Kumo to work with officials of the exam bodies and come up with immediate remedy.