The federal government, Tuesday, released results of the 2024 National Common Entrance Examination, NCEE into federal unity colleges and the Federal Government Academy, FGA Suleja.
But the government withheld 52 candidates’ results over their alleged involvement in examination irregularities. This is out of the 66,931 candidates that sat for the examination.
While 50 of the candidates, according to the government, are from Rivers State, two others are from Lagos State.
Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, who announced the release of the results at a news conference, in Abuja, however said the results which were undergoing investigation to ascertain the level of the malpractice, could be released if the candidates are found not guilty.
The minister described the level of malpractices in the 2024 National Common Entrance Examination as unprecedented.
He said:”The National Common Entrance Examination is for admission into Junior Secondary School one (JSS 1) of Federal Unity Colleges.
” It is a highly competitive examination which is administered every year to Nigerian children both at home and abroad who desire to gain admission into our one hundred and fifteen (115) Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) spread across all parts of the country. These FUCs continue to strengthen our unity as a country with their motto “Pro Unitate”.
“This year’s edition of the examination was written on Saturday 1st June, 2024 in Nigeria, as well as Benin Republic and Togo. I am please to present the following major highlights:
“Major highlights of the NCEE results are as follows:71,291 candidates registered for 2024 NCEE; 66,931 candidates sat for the examination and 4,360 were absent.
“Out of the maximum obtainable score of 210, one candidate obtained the highest score of 203, while 13 candidates obtained the lowest score of 1.
“This year, an unprecedented number of 52 candidates (2 candidates from Lagos State and 50 candidates from Rivers State) were involved in examination malpractice.”
According to him,”The highlights of the Federal Government Academy examination are that 2,649 candidates registered for the examination;2,336 candidates sat for the examination while 313 candidates were absent.”
“The highest score is 180 while the lowest is 5,” he disclosed.
The minister explained that the admission criteria for selection of qualified candidates into federal unity colleges remain the same.
These, he said, are:”60 percent on merit; 30 percent on equality of state and 10 percent on exigency
“Now that the results have been released, the Senior Secondary Education Department should ensure that all admission processes are concluded timely and in line with the above criteria, “he charged.
Noting that the “federal unity colleges have become the first port of call for most parents in the country”, the minister assured all Nigerian parents that government will continue to do her best to improve on infrastructural development, feeding and teacher quality for effective teaching and learning in the colleges.
1 Highest score was 203 out of 210 marks
2 Lowest Score was 1 mark recorded by 13 candidates
3 Number of registered candidates was 71,291
4 Number of those who took the examination was 66,931 with 4,360 candidates absent
5 Number of results released 66,879
6 Withheld results 52
7 State with the highest number of withheld results – Rivers 50, followed by Lagos 2
8 Federal Government Academy, Suleja, Abuja enrolled 2,649 candidates for the examination, and the highest scorer got 180 marks and the lowest got 5 marks
9 Admission will be on 60 percent on merit; 30 percent on equality of state and 10 percent on exigency
10 Examination was conducted on Saturday 1st June, 2024 in Nigeria, as well as Benin Republic and Togo.
Source: Minister of State, Education, Dr Tanko Sunnunu.
