National Examination Council (NECO): Everything You Need To Know

The National Examination Council (NECO) is an examination board overseeing the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination and the General Certificate in Education in Nigeria, held in June/July and November/December, respectively. NECO also administers the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

In this blog post I will share with you Everything You Should Know about the National Examination Council (NECO), which includes, history, meaning of acronyms, list of exam conducted, registration (form fee, Date,Deadline) Syllabus, Timetables etc.

Are you ready now, if so lets Kick start”

Brief History of NECO

NECO was established in April 1999 by former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar, taking over the responsibilities of the National Board for Educational Measurement (NBEM) created in 1992 by the Ibrahim Babangida administration. Before NECO, the Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) were exclusively conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

NECO was designed to handle SSCE for school-based candidates, while WAEC retained the examination for private candidates. The introduction of NECO sparked varied opinions among Nigerians, with some viewing it as an alternative examination body, while others questioned its ability to conduct reliable exams and its legal status.

Acronyms & Meaning

Below are the major acronyms in NECO and their full meaning

ACRONYMS	FULL MEANING
NECO	National Examination Council
SSCE	Senior School Certificate Examination
BECE	Basic Education Certificate Examination
NCEE	National Common Entrance Examination

Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE)

The Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is the final stage of Secondary School Education. It consists of two categories: SSCE Internal for candidates in their third and final year of senior secondary education, and SSCE External for private candidates not in the school system.

Candidates can sit for a minimum of eight and a maximum of nine subjects out of the seventy-six available subjects. These subjects are grouped into six categories: Compulsory Cross-Cutting Subjects, Science and Mathematics, Technology, Humanities, Business Studies, and Trade/Entrepreneurship.

Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)

The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is conducted for third-year Junior Secondary School students, serving as a transition to senior secondary education.

While states conduct BECE for their candidates, NECO administers it for Federal Unity Colleges, Armed Forces Secondary Schools, and other federal establishments. Private secondary schools also participate with permission from State Ministries of Education.

The BECE covers eighteen subjects, and candidates must sit for a minimum of nine and a maximum of ten subjects. To pass, a candidate needs to pass six subjects, including English and Mathematics.

National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE)

The National Common Entrance Examination is conducted for pupils in their 6th year of basic education, aiming to select the best candidates nationwide for admission into Federal Unity colleges.

These government-owned secondary schools aim to promote unity among Nigerian children. The exam, held annually, consists of two parts. The first determines candidates eligible for a second examination, and the final result qualifies candidates for admission based on merit, state quotas, and environmental considerations.

NECO Registration Requirements For 2025

To successfully register for NECO, prospective candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Provide 4 passport photographs.
• Submit the candidate’s permanent home address.
• Furnish the candidate’s mother’s maiden name.
• Include the candidate’s parent’s or guardian’s name.
• Specify the candidate’s state and local government of origin.
• Provide personal data of the candidate.
• Choose a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 9 preferred examination subjects.
• Undergo compulsory biometric data capturing.
• Have a working email address.
• Be a final-year student of a private or public secondary school in Nigeria.
• Possess a personal phone number.

NECO Registration Form Fee

Service	Price
Registration fee	N17,800.00
Photo album	N1,700.00
Four-figure table	N250.00
Walk-in	N25,000
Correction of name	N3,500
Syllabus	N1,500
Result slip	N1,250

NECO GCE registration has a distinct feature – the official deadline is November 14, 2024. Notably, late registration is allowed after the deadline, but with an additional fee of N1,000. Late payment can only be made at least one day before the candidate’s intended subjects begin.

However, once a candidate’s preferred subjects have been taken, late registration is declined unless a substitution is made for another subject.

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