NECO awards scholarships to six best performing candidates

THE National Examinations Council (NECO) has awarded scholarship to six best performing candidates in its 2022 and 2023 National Gifted Examination (NGE), National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) called “Registrar’s Award for Excellence.”

Registrar of NECO, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, made this known during the council’s maiden Productivity Award ceremony held in Minna.

He announced male and female best performing candidates in the 2022 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) as Asiru Ahmed Opeyemi from Crescent International High School, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, and Obidibo Chioma Blessing, while Okafor Chima Christian, from Saint Paul Academy, Jos, and Benson Ifebube Chelsea, from Renaissance Garden Secondary School,Ago-Okota, Lagos, got the 2023 best performing candidates.

In the Basic Education Certificate Examination category  for 2022, Akintola Samuel Oluwadaresimi of the Apostolic Church College, Sango, Ibadan, and Onochie Chiamada Francis of Igbinedion Education Centre,  Benin, bagged the best performing candidates award, while Ekwueme Ikechukwu Excellent from Kimota Science College, Gboko, and Owuye Faheeza Oluwakemi of Maryland Comprehensive School (Junior), Lagos, got the award for 2023.

Also, best performing candidates were named for the National Common Entrance Examination. They are: Bokare Lemuel Ogheneyobre of the Kingskiddies Nursery and Primary School, Warri, and Chika Ugu Anastasia from Nana Primary School, Warri.

The registrar also announced award for gifted children and the beneficiaries were named as Njoku Obinna Adrian of Rosai Kid Montessry School, New Owerri, and Anikwu Princess Kamsiyochukwu from Springfield Academy, Awka.

Some officials of the council who distinguished themselves in their performances on duty were also honoured and celebrated with awards.

The NECO boss noted that the idea to institute the award ceremony came out of the desire to encourage the culture of excellence, through a healthy competition among staff and students, and to celebrate the exceptional contributions by staff of the council.

Wushishi further stated that the initiative will equally help to celebrate candidates who have excelled in each of the examinations conducted by the council.

He said: “Today’s occasion would not have been made possible without the immense contribution of the immediate past board whose wise counsel and robust deliberation and support led to the award ceremony.”

“We remain eternally grateful to them and pray that God rewards them abundantly.

“The awards will serve both as a motivating factor and a morale booster to both the staff and students, which will in turn inspire a drive towards greatness and self-improvement.

“The overall aim of introducing the award is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the services being rendered by the council.

By way of motivation, we wish to institute a Scholarship award for the best candidates in the National Gifted Examination, National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) called “Registrar’s Award for Excellence.”

“NECO will take responsibility for the registration of these best candidates for their Basic Education Certificate Examination and Senior School Certificate Examination.

“It is our prayer that we make this an annual event, as might be determined by the strength of our finances. We hope that the aim for which the Productivity Award is established will be achieved.

“This first edition will feature awardees for 20022 and 2023, under the following categories: Good Governance Award; Best State Co-ordinator of the Year;

Most Hardworking and dedicated staff of the year in each Department, State and Zonal Offices; Best Driver of the Year; Best Performing Students (Male and Female) in SSCE (Internal) (2022 and 2023); BECE (2022 and 2023); NCEE (2022 and 2023); Gifted (2023); and Certificate of Service to Retirees (2022 and 2023)”.