The National Examinations Council (NECO) has sought a for a strengthened collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) to check malpractices in the conduct of the Council’s examination.
Chairman, Governing Board of NECO, Abubakar Saddique who led the Acting Registrar and other management team on a courtesy visit to the Director-General of DSS in Abuja, said the collaboration would ensure the credibility of the Council’s examination.
Saddique explained that the Council has put in place measures aimed at checking examination malpractice, but noted that without adequate security architecture, such measures would not yield the desired results.
He stated that among the measures introduced is the biometric capturing of candidates to check impersonation at examination centres.
The chairman therefore appealed to the personnel of DSS to strengthen their collaboration with NECO to prevent any form of malpractice before, during and after the conduct of the Council examination.
The Acting Registrar/Chief Executive, Abubakar Gana, in his remarks, also sought for the collaboration of DSS in building an intractable open and secure filing system for the Council to prevent possible incidence of tempering with staff records, especially in the face of the on-going Staff Certificate verification exercise.
Gana appealed to the Director-General to ensure that fraudsters who attempt to compromise NECO examinations are not only arrested and investigated, but prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.
The Acting Registrar further enumerated some reforms introduced under his leadership in the Council to include the development of an intractable, robust, secure and user-friendly corporate website, introduction of full-scale biometric capturing of candidates at examination centres, procurement of additional 20 pick-up Hilux Vans for examination logistics and full payment of Duty Tour Allowance to staff among others.
Gana noted that NECO has enjoyed the full support and co-operation of DSS through the provision of covert operations which had helped in reducing incidence of examination malpractice.
He opined that “the world is experiencing rapid changes resulting from rapid development, these changes revolve around two major phenomena of emerging Technology and Globalization”. According to him, while these two phenomena have their advantages, they also come with disadvantages, especially when abused resulting in the scourge of examination malpractice assuming a global dimension.
The Director-General, DSS, Yusuf Bichi, in his address, pledged the continued support of his Department in ensuring the credibility of NECO examinations.
Godsgift Onyedinefu, Abuja
